Need to utilise the sustainable resources of the country’s coastal land

All the interventions can even form part of a large scale ‘Sea Front and Coastal Restoration Plan’.

A part from the multifaceted economic activities taking place in Karachi, most of the economics associated with the coastal regions of Pakistan centre around the fishing and forestry industries.

However, a high potential exists for exploring new ways to gain socioeconomic benefits by investing in coastal land and resources through a participatory collaboration between the government, the private sector, the media and the different communities involved. In addition, urgent measures need to be taken to increase the benefits being gained from the existing model of resource utilisation, which is beginning to provide diminishing returns.

All over the world, there are presently many avenues and options being considered to obtain socio-economic benefits by investing in environmentally-sound coastal planning and development. If we take the case of the Karachi coast, there is an unexplored and potentially beneficial area for partnership and collaboration between our coastal managers and the private sector for investment - both in measures for preservation and conservation - and also optimal and environmentally sustainable utilisation of the potential financial benefits, extracted from coastal land and resources.

There is a need to work out the broad outlines of a ‘coastal zone financial investment plan’. However, the problem is how this collaboration will work. In the absence of any appropriate legislation, designated responsibilities, well-defined procedures and the means of institutional capacity building, management of marine and coastal areas is in disarray. Non-government organisations are trying to contribute but their limited resources cannot sufficiently influence the vast coastal and marine areas of the country without the support of state authorities, especially since Pakistan’s ‘Exclusive Economic Zone’ is almost equal to the landmass of the country.

A possible roadmap for establishing a ‘coastal zone financial investment plan’ can include assembling relevant expertise for outlining potential areas for private sector investment and the economic valuation of ecological and financial benefits. Measures would need to be undertaken to make the required amendments to policy and legislation in order to make the promotion, management and regulation of private sector investments more viable. Studies would have to be sanctioned to indicate potential areas where private sector expertise can contribute to improving capacity of the relevant government agencies, in addition to identifying all possible models for collaboration and partnership.

All these interventions can even form part of a large scale ‘Sea Front and Coastal Restoration Plan’. Also important is the establishment of relevant institutional interfaces or the setting up of additional institutions, for linkage of the private sector and communities with agencies dealing with coastal land and resources, such as land owners, service providers and regulators. The process, however, needs to be participatory. Key stakeholders to be involved in the process of consultation and evaluation on the modalities of private sector investment may include the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the city-based chambers of commerce and industry, such as the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In addition, private sector entities having a history and credibility of investing in progressive environmental improvement can also be involved.

 

The writer is an urban planner and runs a non-profit organisation based in Karachi city focusing on urban sustainability issues. He can be reached at [e-mail]

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2014.