Conclusions: The Rapidly Changing Environment of the Asia and Pacific Region and its Implications for Sustainability of the Coastal Zones

This book presents a broad assessment of the present status of the environment in the Asia and Pacific coastal zones. Coastal zones are a precious environment, with diverse biogeochemical elements. They also represent a very important resource base for societal, economic, and cultural activities. As such, they have attracted huge movements of population and development activities, which in turn have imposed pressures on the coastal environment, inducing wide-ranging and rapid changes. The Asia and Pacific region is among those areas of the world where such changes are most active, which is why this book focuses on this particular region. In the present assessment a framework for analysis consisting of three viewpoints was used; the state of the environment, driving forces, and responses. This conclusion to the assessment uses the same framework.