Importance, challenges and steps for Coastal ecosystems

Context: National Green Tribunal has asked the MoEFCC to ensure that all coastal states/UTs prepare the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) or Island Coastal Regulation Zone Plan (ICRZP) as per Coastal Regulation Zone notification, 2019.

India’s Coastline

India has a long coastline of over 7,500 km. The coastal area is a significant for India for the following reasons:

Importance of Coastal ecosystem

1. Conventional Energy Resources: 

• Shale deposits along coasts of Gujarat, TN and Andhra Pradesh 
• Rich Methane Hydrate deposits along the KG Basin. (Not yet harnessed).

2. Renewable Energy Potential:

• Significant wind energy potential (665 GW) along with offshore wind.
• Tropical coasts of India have vast solar energy potential.
• Tidal energy and OTEC 

3. Mineral Resources

• Monazite sands and critical minerals important for India’s nuclear energy security.
• Placer deposits rich in titanium and gold along coasts
• Salt production and export principally in Gujarat.
• Sand and construction material from coasts.

4. Food Resources

• Rich in fisheries and aquaculture – Rich source of protein and exports.
• Seaweeds for food and fertilisers.

5. Other important factors

• Coastal cities and beautiful beaches are rich sources for tourism and water adventure sports.
• Pearl fisheries and ornaments
• Blue carbon: Coastal blue carbon focuses on rooted vegetation in coastal zone, such as tidal marshes, mangroves and seagrasses. These ecosystems have high carbon burial rates on a per unit area basis and accumulate carbon in their soils and sediments.

Challenges to Coastal Ecosystems

Natural challenges

• Cyclones
• Increased wave activity leading to erosion of the beaches.
• Sea level rise: Sea level rise due to global warming is a key threat to coastal ecosystems and large populations living on the coasts. 
• Intrusion of seawater in the groundwater making normal groundwater saline. This happens due to excess withdrawal of groundwater. 

Anthropogenic factors for coastal degradation

• Sand mining and dredging
• Construction of river dams upstream
• Destruction of mangroves
• Oil spills
• Plastic waste disposal in coastal waters harming coastal biodiversity
• Excessive fertilizer usage and spill-off leading to eutrophication. 
• Overdevelopment and population pressure in coastal areas

Steps taken to protect coastal ecosystem in India. 

1. Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2018: MoEFCC has notified Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2018 under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 to conserve and protect the unique environment of coastal and marine areas, protect livelihoods of fishermen and other coastal communities and promote sustainable Cdevelopment on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural hazards, sea level rise due to global warming. 

Application of Coastal Regulation Zone: 

• Land area from High Tide Line to 500 metres on the landward side along the sea front.
• The intertidal zone means land area between HTL and Low Tide Line.
• Water and bed area between Low Tide Line to the territorial water limit in case of sea and water. 

Classification of CRZs

• CRZ-I: Areas environmentally most critical. It is further classified as:
  • CRZ-I A: They constitute ecologically sensitive areas and geomorphological features which play a role in maintaining the integrity of the coast like: Mangroves, Corals and coral reefs, Sand dunes, Biologically active mudflats, protected areas (National Parks, WLS etc.), Salt marshes, Nesting grounds of turtles and birds, Horse shoe crab habitats, sea grass beds, heritage sites.
  • CRZ-I B: Intertidal zone i.e., area between Low tide line and High Tide Line.
• CRZ-II: Developed land areas up to or close to shoreline, within existing municipal limits or in other existing designated urban areas.
• CRZ-III: Land areas that are relatively undisturbed (rural areas etc.) and those which do not fall under CRZ-II. It is further classified into:
  • CRZ-III A: CRZ-III area with population density more than 2161 per sq. km. as per census 2011. In these areas, area up to 50 metres from the HTL on the landward side shall be earmarked as No development Zone.
  • CRZ-III B: All other CRZ-III areas (population density less than 2161 per sq. km.). In these areas, area up to 200 metres from HTL on the landward side will be No Development Zone.
  • CRZ-IV: CRZ constitutes the water area. It is further classified into:
    • CRZ-IV A: Water area and sea bed area between LTL up to 12 nautical miles on the seaward side.
    • CRZ-IV B: Includes water area and bed area between LTL and bank of the tidal influenced water body to the LTL on the opposite side of the bank, extending from the mouth of the waterbody at the sea up to the influence of tide. 
  • Coastal area accorded special consideration for protecting critical coastal environment:
    • Critically Vulnerable Coastal Area (CVCA): Following areas will be treated as CVCA and managed with involvement of coastal communities:
      • Sundarban region in West Bengal, 
      • Gulf of Khambat and Gulf of Kutchh in Gujarat, 
      • Malvan and Achra-Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, 
      • Karwar and Coondapur in Karnataka, Vembanad in Kerala, 
      • Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, 
      • Bhitarkanika in Odisha, 
      • Coringa, East Godavari and Krishna in Andhra Pradesh
      • Inland Backwater islands and islands along mainland coast
      • Municipal limits of Greater Mumbai.

Activities prohibited with CRZ:

• Setting up of new industries and expansion of existing industries, operations or processes.
• Manufacture or handling of oil, storage or disposal of hazardous substances.
• Land reclamation, bunding or disturbing the natural course of seawater except for activities permitted.
• Discharge of untreated waste and effluents from industries, cities or towns and other human settlements.
• Dumping of city or town wastes 
• Port and harbour projects in high eroding stretches of coast.
• Mining of sand, rocks and other sub-strata materials.
• Dressing or altering of active sand dunes.
• Disposal of plastic into the coastal waters is prohibited
• Drawal of ground water. 

2. Coastal Vulnerability Index (Index)
3. Blue Flag Certification of Beaches: Blue Flag Certification standards have been established in 1985 by Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation. Ten Indian beaches have Blue Flag Certification:
   1. Shivrajpur in Gujarat 
   2. Kovalam in Tamil Nadu 
   3. Ghoghla in Diu 
   4. Eden in Puducherry 
   5. Kasarkod, in Karnataka 
   6. Padubidri in Karnataka 
   7. Kappad in Kerala 
   8. Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh 
   9. Golden in Odisha 
   10. Radhanagar in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
4. Regeneration of Mangroves in the coastal areas. Central Government has notified MISHTI scheme for regeneration of Mangroves in Coastal areas.
5. Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan: Focuses on prevention of soil erosion, shelterbelt plantation, mangrove plantation, strengthening requirements for ecosystem monitoring, biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood of coastal communities.

Way forward/Suggestions

1. Conducting a nationwide island and coastal areas vulnerability assessment for understanding vulnerability of coastal areas.
2. Installation of GPS/GNSS based station with respect to each tide gauge across islands to estimate vertical land motion which can accurately quantify the future sea-level rise over India’s coasts and islands.
3. Conducting field based topographic surveys to map the accurate inundation of islands and coasts under different climate change scenarios.
4. Nature-based growth and development of blue economy based on marine and coastal fronts.
5. Nature-based restoration of environment and ecology on India’s coasts and islands.
6. Mainstreaming Climate-resilient activities for livelihood.
7. Protection of coral reefs and mangroves and monitoring of coral bleaching and mangrove regeneration.
8. Monitoring shoreline change rate to identify hotspot zones.
9. Construction of coastal structures for protection of highly eroded shoreline zones.