Validating Governance Performance Indicators for Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management in the Southeast Region of Cuba

Fajardo José Abelardo Planas,Lucia M Fanning,Batista Celene Milanés,Camilo Mateo Botero

doi:10.4236/ojms.2016.61006

Abstract

The importance of evaluating the success of policies developed to effectively manage coastal and marine resource use is well documented. However, few frameworks exist that allow for a comparative examination of existing policy instruments, as opposed to specific initiatives, which assess governance performance aimed at addressing issues arising in the coastal zone. This paper describes the process and findings for evaluating the feasibility of a modified Coastal Sustainability Standard (CoSS) framework that seeks to measure the effectiveness of individual planning instruments within overlapping spatial boundaries in the landward and marine areas in the southeast region of Cuba. Through workshops conducted in Santiago de Cuba and Guama municipalities with key representatives involved in coastal management and planning, the utility of the framework was assessed using the main instruments of territorial planning in Cuba, namely integrated river basin management, territorial planning in coastal municipalities and marine and coastal management. While, the findings suggest that the modified CoSS framework can be used to assess the effectiveness of these planning instruments in the region, and workshop participants also suggested improvements to better match its use to the characteristics of the study region.

Highlights

Numerous studies over the past few decades have identified the fact that coastal zones throughout the world have become fragile and threatened ecosystems, posing threats to both the natural and human systems that depend on these areas for their sustenance [1]-[7]
As noted by Echevarría and colleagues [23], these interactions with citizens are a reflection in the way; powers are exercised according to principles of accessibility, participation, responsibility, effectiveness, coherence and proportionality. Recognizing both the threats to and significance of the coastal resources to communities in southeast Cuba, this paper addresses the gap identified in the literature calling for an assessment of coastal governance performance aimed at a comparative examination of existing policies, as opposed to specific initiatives
The workshop results from the participants that met in Santiago de Cuba are presented in Table 2 and Table 3

Summary

Introduction

Numerous studies over the past few decades have identified the fact that coastal zones throughout the world have become fragile and threatened ecosystems, posing threats to both the natural and human systems that depend on these areas for their sustenance [1]-[7] Key drivers underpinning these changes include a growing global population base and the increasing impacts of global climate change and the associated pressures that these bring in terms of increasing competing demands for space and resources [8] [9]. There is an urgent need for research to inform policies aimed at helping these communities minimize and adapt to these threats, as called for in Cuba’s National Environmental Strategy [15]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion