Significant
development of coastal area
has become a major concern in many countries since this area is closely related
with diversity and complexity. Saleh et al., (2016: p.2) mention that
coastal area as a community that has complex potentials in relation with its
development such as social, administrative, physical, economical,
political and biophysical perspective. Several issues and impacts have
been risen up in line with the development of coastal area. It
is argued here that coastal development will be beneficial for residents in
some ways. This essay tries to cover both positive and negative impacts as
the result of coastal area development including several issues that follow it
in environmental, social and economic perspectives.
Economically,
coastal area promises many great business opportunities. Thanh (2006: p.1) notes
that the wealth of natural resources and other natural conditions benefits has
trigged the coastal zone to become an area of active economic development and
high population density with the significant growth of water
way and ports, agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining, and tourism.
In social perspective, coastal development has brought several merits. For
instance, Ahmed (2005: p.17), finds in tourism industry
that the development of coastal area
can establish renewed local pride in their culture and increasing the
cross-cultural exchanges among the local people and the tourists. The residents
are also benefited with the improvement of infrastructures and transportation
facilities. Moreover, he also claims that this development can encourage the
growth of traditional festivals and other cultural events in coastal area.
This factor can also promote local and traditional crafts and souvenirs.
However,
these great improvements have already led to several threats. Thanh (2006: p.1)
argues that coastal disasters (floods, erosion, sedimentation, salt intrusion
and oil spills), pollution at various levels (oil, organic compounds, pesticide
and heavy metals) and damage of habitats and decrease of living organisms are
some of the serious consequences as the impacts of economic activities in
coastal area. Ahmed (2005: p.16) also identifies in the coastal tourism that
the local people will loss of
advantages economically if the investors own and manage tourist industry by
themselves and not involving local communities. In social context,
he also indicates that the residents cannot comfortably use the overdevelopment
of supporting facilities, shopping and transportation systems. These
improvements also bring several cultural degradations. Ahmed (2015: p.2)
believes that the increasing of
social degradation and criminality in coastal area
happened as the result of the modernization in that area.
There
are several approaches that can be taken to minimize those negative effects.
Since its complexity, coastal areas need to be managed in an integrated way.
One term that has been proposed is Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). According
to Post and Lundin (1996: p.7), ICZM is government process that covers
institutional and legal framework to make sure that the management and
development plans of coastal area is integrated
with environment and
social goals also involving all the stakeholders.
In
conclusion, coastal development cannot be avoided as a part of modernization.
There are merits and drawbacks as the consequences of this development. I
believe, with an integrated and appropriate management system, the development
of coastal area
will bring many advantages for the residents.
