出版社：United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry, and Economics
摘要：Imagine a plane descending over turquoise water to
land beside a sandy beach. Aboard, a couple gazes
down, remembering their honeymoon ten years
before in this pristine tropical paradise. Upon landing,
they grab their bags and dash through customs.
Within minutes of checking into the hotel they are
running towards the beach, snorkel masks in hand.
Plunging into the water, they resurface and suddenly
find litter floating all around them. Swimming out
to the reef where they had previously been immersed in
brightly coloured fish and a variety of corals, they are
dismayed by the absence of life resulting from coral
bleaching. In only ten years what had offered the newlyweds
a vibrant escape has deteriorated and now
offers only disappointment and dismay. Worse yet,
within days the couple¡¯s anniversary trip will become
even more unforgettable when they fall ill with an
infection contracted while swimming.
Fortunately, global realization of the need to better
protect the marine/coastal environment is forcing
an increase in discussions and a growing call for
action. Integrated water resource and coastal area
management (IWCAM) is being emphasized as a
priority for international environmental action to
reverse the degradation of freshwater and marine
ecosystems occurring worldwide. In 2003, in
recognition of the impact activities in coastal areas
have on the state of the marine environment, the
22nd UNEP Governing Council highlighted protection
of global water resources (including the
need for government attention to coastal areas) in
collaboration with regional institutions. This call is
especially timely given the current thrust of efforts
to further implement the Global Programme of
Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment
from Land-based Activities (GPA).1
