SUSCOD aimed to make a step change in the application of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). Seven partners from five countries developed an innovative Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM) ‘assistant'.

The ICZM approach has been explored in several parts of the North Sea Region and often the focus of these interventions has been public safety. Although these interventions have offered opportunities to realise the full development potential of the areas concerned, in practice a fully integrated, holistic approach has rarely been taken and this is regrettable, because coastal potentials are not fully utilised.

SUSCOD brought together partners that wanted to change this through a well coordinated transnational team approach. The practical web-based tool allowed coastal development practitioners to fully realise coastal potentials, economical as well as social and environmental.

Aim
SUSCOD aimed to make a step change in the application of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). In doing so, coastal potentials (economic, social and environmental) could be utilized to the full advantage and broader support for coastal management measures could be secured. SUSCOD brought together partners that wanted to change this through a well coordinated transnational team approach. The new tool was based on the EU's ICZM principles and built on the work of the EU ICZM expert group.

Background
Central to SUSCOD was the development of a practical tool, the ICZM-assistant, and its introduction to potential users and demonstrated value at test locations. Existing tools that assessed the state of ICZM were of ex ante and too much of that which was scientific in character. The development process applied and tested the assistant in a variety of pilot situations and it allowed coastal developers to assess their project at any stage in the development process to determine points of attention to ensure the fully integrated development of their project.

The principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management, as adopted by the EU Council and Parliament (May 2002), should in theory help to find such positive solutions. Although these interventions have offered opportunities to realise the full development potential of the areas concerned, in practice a fully integrated, holistic approach has rarely been taken.

• Inventory and analysis of existing integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) tools and indicators. Reviewing the present status of IZCM implementation in the partner regions, including the application of IZCM tools and practical techniques as being applied in the light of challenges imposed by climate changes. 
• Development of the ICZM Assistant, an attractive and practical web-based tool, which is easy to use. Within the Assistant you can find interesting projects, people and knowledge. The Assistant was fed by all the pilot projects, including the innovative pilot project on simulation and visualisation of storm and wave effects.
• A multimedia hub and related educational materials. The centrepiece is FLEX: Fife Landscape Explorer, an interactive state of the art 3D computer visualisation of the pilot project area. 
• Development of the ICZM Assistant workshop. The Assistant can be easily used without the workshop, but the workshop does give an extra incentive to do so. All partners have trained at least once colleagues and other relevant professionals in their region and are also available in the future to this if necessary.