GIS technology and spatial analysis in coastal zone management

This paper reviews methods and tools of spatial analysis, their integration and application to coastal zone management. Following a definition of the coastal zone and a short description of its peculiarities and unique management problems, the paper first describes the major tools for spatial analysis, and in particular, GIS and remote sensing, spatially distributed simulation modeling and optimization, and expert systems, as well as their integration in information and decision support systems. This is followed by a short review of the main paradigms of spatial analysis such as environmental impact analysis, risk assessment, and policy analysis, and specific problems such as zoning and site selection. Special emphasis is given to the issues of industrial development in coastal zone management. Examples from the literature are used to illustrate concepts and trends, and the discussion addresses the role of information technology in spatial analysis and its application to coastal zone management in particular