Published on 07-03-2022
ENCORA addressed 3 major causes for stagnation in the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in Europe: (A) fragmentation of coastal science, practice and policy; (B) difficult communication between science, policy and practice; (C) lack of multidisciplinary approaches. ENCORA represented a European network service with new mechanisms for communication on shared problems within and between the communities of coastal science, policy and practice. In 13 EU member states national coastal networks have been established. Several non-EU countries also participated in ENCORA with national or regional coastal networks. Ten trans-national, cross-disciplinary thematic networks, led by institutions with outstanding expertise, addressed major ICZM issues. Operational nodes were created between the national and thematic networks and other existing coastal networks. National Coordination Offices (NCO) organized the process of knowledge exchange and cooperation between coastal professionals Europe-wide. The Thematic Networks produced a state-of the-art overview of knowledge, tools and practices, a European ICZM training and education curriculum and European Action Plans for addressing priority issues for ICZM implementation. The networking structure and processes were continuously improved and, after 3 years, the project delivered an operational European coastal network structure supporting the exchange of coastal knowledge and experience within and between the communities of science, policy and practice. ENCORA aimed at the construction of a European network including 13 National Networks and 10 Thematic Networks among coastal scientists, politicians and practitioners. The network intends to promote the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) by overcoming the fragmentation of coastal science, practice and policy, by improving communication between science, policy and practice, and by proposing multidisciplinary approaches. The ENCORA Project succeeded in constructing a platform formed by national networks of coastal scientists, politicians and practitioners from Europe, the southern Mediterranean and Black Sea states. The main outcomes of the networking activities put into place by national and thematic networks cooperating in the project were the European Action Plan for Strengthening the Knowledge Base of Sustainable Coastal and Marine Management, formulated in Paris in December 2007 and aimed at indicating the most urgent need for action in coastal research, directed to national research agencies as well as to the European Commission. The Coastal and Marine Wiki was initiated under responsibility of the thematic networks providing information relevant for coastal practitioners and scientists in a searchable website that allows visitors to easily add, remove and otherwise edit and change available articles; it is maintained by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and the content is supervised by the Coastal Wiki Editorial Board. The National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management (RIKZ) was the project coordinator. ENCORA was based on national and trans-national networks as well as on thematic transversal networks, established in 13 European countries. Each network included institutions, universities, public or private bodies and individual researchers, all linked to the theme of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). Conferenza Littoral 2006. Venezia ENCORA – FP6
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