Coastal Encroachment, Biodiversity and Distribution of Natural Coastal and Marine Resources in South Asia

Abstract

With a population of 1.75 billion in South Asia itself, coastal population explosion is imminent. Demands and supplies become the root of problems for humankind and in the process annihilating our coastal and marine ecosystems. This process has a two-way ripple effect on both the coastal and marine resources and the ever-growing numbers of people. Increasing coastal population accelerates pressure and rate of coastal development, increases urban pollution, inflates threats to the over-exploited surrounding sea and damages the existing reefs, mangroves and other coastal-marine ecosystems. These in turn change biodiversity of species, its availability and distribution, and the services provided causing a negative feedback to human population itself. This raises the questions of the importance of biodiversity to humans, ecosystems and the biosphere as a whole. What are the current major issues and challenges faced by South Asia in managing and conserving these resources? What are the contributions required to necessitate the maintenance of a dynamic portfolio of biodiversity which is inherently linked to sustainability? This is in fact a multi-inter-transdisciplinary issue currently critical to South Asian region and globally as well. Additionally, perhaps a better-informed society with better understanding of the environmental issues may exert greater pressure in bringing about positive changes and better coordination in achieving conservation and sustainable use of the coastal and marine environment. Addressing the issues and challenges of coastal and marine environment is not a local or regional cooperation but a global one because in this unique environment there is no boundary.