Coastal and Marine Management

Fifty percent of the world's population currently live within sixty kilometers of the coast – at present, more than 3 billion people. By the year 2008, the world population will exceed 6.7 billion people, with 3.4 billion of us living in coastal areas.

Coastal and marine resources management (CMM) focuses on resources and human activity within the land-water interface along coastal regions of the world, and employs strategies, such as Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) to strengthen our institutions, government policies, community participation and environmental conservation.

A portfolio analysis indicates rapidly growing Bank investments in areas within 60 km of the coastal zone, and many projects which currently benefit from an ICM approach ($330 million of dedicated coastal management activities). Given the opportunity and resources, a much larger pool of projects could also benefit from use of ICM. The activities of this network focus on preparing the Bank to meet this growing demand.

For a review of projects existing within the Bank's portfolio that involve the principles of ICM, or contain certain components that embody ICM, look in the Projects section of the site, under Key Documents and Information. To contact those World Bank specialists who are working in this area, please see the Who's Who page.