Policies in coastal wetlands: Key challenges

• Published in: Environmental science & policy 2018-10, Vol.88, p.72-82
• Main Authors: Mojica Vélez, José Manuel, Barrasa García, Sara, Espinoza Tenorio, Alejandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Co-management and wetland management; Collaborative governance; Development impacts; Social learning; Territorial planning
• ISSN: 1462-9011; 1873-6416
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2018.06.016

•Policies for development facilitate the occupation of zones with coastal wetlands.•Environmental policies address sustainability through territorial planning.•Property regimes contradict the spatial boundaries of environmental policies.•Policies reduce or improve livelihoods in coastal wetlands.•Adaptation means collaboration, feedbacks, flexible institutions, viable objectives and reliable assessments. The role of public policies in protecting coastal wetlands is gaining in prominence. The goal of this paper is to review the research themes and the key challenges of coastal wetlands policies. We found 259 papers that cover five research themes: development and impacts, territory, local population, governance, and management. Half of the papers are study cases from North America, and South and Southeast Asia. Regional patterns show that researchers in North America and West Europe focus on the themes of governance and management, while scientists in Latin America, Asia and Africa concentrate their efforts on development and impacts and local population. The paper concludes that development policies are affecting coastal wetlands by promoting or allowing urban and economic activities to grow out of control; territorial planning is mismatched with ecological dynamics and influenced by economic interests; the government must build adaptation and a collaborative, multilevel, and decentralized system to achieve the integration of local population in decision-making. Adaptation in the governance improves conservation, restoration, mitigation and compensation, which are significant factors considering the disastrous effects of climate change.