Abstract

This project relates towards developing a systemic model to support integrated coastal zone planning and management activities prevailing in Mauritius. The island is a small one with developed coastal areas that sustain the livelihoods of local inhabitants as well as its economy. There have been major developments in these areas as a result of the expansion of the fishing and tourism industries, and other coastal activities. Further, projected outcomes of global climate change comprise warmer land and ocean temperatures, rises in both sea level and acidification, changes in rainfall frequency and pattern as well as in storm severity. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Mauritius is highly vulnerable to negative climate change impacts on its natural and built coastal environment, thus endangering coastal activities which require coastal resources to be perennial. Consequently, the island is faced with complex coastal zone management challenges associated with our attempt to achieve economic growth without destroying the ecological systems that support human existence. Poorly planned coastal land use including residential, agricultural and leisure activities also generate aftermaths on climate change while exacerbating coastal vulnerability. These circumstances justify an integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) whereby coastal land use planning as one of its key constituents would also combine climate mitigation and adaptation measures. The proposed model take into consideration the rising coastal issues, find out whether a systems approach may be used to address coastal zone problems and the identification of a set of indicators bestde scribing the coa stal zone to be used for monitoring and evaluating ICZM plan of actions. Flic-en-Flac as a particular demo site of Mauritius has been considered for that purpose. Data profiling and site characterization by means of a survey was carried out to determine relevant variables. A system dynamics approach using causal loop diagram has been applied to illustrate the possible relationships between the variables to generate specific indicators which will be used for scenario planning. Eventually, this exercise will help to evaluate and monitor ICZM performance of that particular demo site.