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SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION Caspian Sea is a unique closed natural water body, largest on the planet. Its square is around 400 th km2, maximum depth are more than 1000 m., but for the major part of the sea (around 70 %)the depth is up to 200 meters. Presently the level of the sea is 27 meters below ocean level and is characterized by significant amplitude of oscillation (more than 3 meters in past century). Caspian is a saltish water body (its salinity is 3 times lower than the world ocean) with ion –saltish water composition differing from the ocean one. The square of sea drainage area is 3.5 mln km2, and 80% of river drainage to the sea is brought buy Volga river. Sea costal line is 6700 km. And 1460 km is Russia’s coast. The catch of different bioresources is undertaken in the Caspian Sea (the sea is one of the leading ones in the world in terns of productivity) and first of all- unique resources of sturgeon, also activity is undertaken for exploration and production of rich oil and gas fields. Caspian plays an important role in transportation links and has large recreation capacities, some valuable specially protected natural territories and water bodies are located here. Severe anthropogenic load on Caspian ecosystem is significantly intensified by natural fluctuations of its level. Due to its rich resources coastal zones all over the world are historically one of the most exploited areas. Presently, around 60% of Earth population leaves in 60 km coastal zone. Conflicts related to intensive use of coastal resources inevitably lad to intensification of social and economic development problems. Problems of multiple jurisdiction and competition among users of the resources with the absorbance of conflict resolution mechanisms, non-adequate ways of resources protection and also absence of federal and local policy of coastal zone management and development lead to the loss of sustainable development capacity. That is why the integration of nature use with modern management practices plays a key role for successful socio-economic and sustainable environmental development of the countries and regions. In this respect methodology for integral coastal zone management (ICZM) was developed in foreign countries during last 30 years and it represents an economical and legal mechanism for harmonization (in the market conditions) of numerous controversial interests of coastal nature users. On the 1992 UN Conference on environment and development in Rio-de-Janeiro the countries with the access to the sea were recommended to develop and implement ICZM programmes in accordance with their conditions. In the recent decade the interest towards ICZM became global. Presently more than 90 countries implement more than 180 ICZM programmes. Such approach allows transforming high level of sea sciences development and extensive knowledge of the coastal zone directly to social economic achievements of coastal regions in a most effective manner. ICZM methodology is seen as the most advanced up-to-date approach towards implementation of sustainable development concept. Caspian Environment Programme (CEP), being a regional umbrella programme established by Caspian countries and led by international agencies, considers as an important task. One of the first tasks of CEP Caspian regional thematic center for integral transbaundary coastal area management planning (CRTC ITCAMP) is preparation of Caspian coastal area survey. This paper is dedicated to the coastal profile of Russian Federation, the coastal length of which is 1460 km. The border of administrative districts adjacent to the sea was taken as a land border of coastal zone. Special attention is paid to the coastal area of Republic of Kalmykia represented by Lagan district where the pilot project on testing of draft Guidelines for coastal planning will be implemented on the next stage of work of CRTC ITCAMP. |
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