Local Governments and Coastal Communities are more than 'Stakeholders' in Marine Spatial Planning

摘要

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission reports that 70 countries are now engaged in marine spatial planning (MSP). As a top-down process, MSP is mostly an activity of national and sub-national governments or international collaborations. Where local governments have jurisdiction in marine waters, councils may participate in MSP decision making, but their involvement is usually through stakeholder committees or other engagement activities. Perhaps because they are often seen as one of many stakeholders, local governments have not fully utilized MSP or are not aware of MSP as a tool for community planning and governance. Despite jurisdictional constraints, coastal regions, towns, and cities are the interface between land and sea. They are the foundation of the "blue economy," physically and socially. Local governments manage land use and provide infrastructure to support coastal and ocean economic activity. Their influence includes controlling land development, which can affect marine environments. The infrastructures of many coastal communities are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and community planning is essential for managing the impacts in the coastal zone.