ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a broad analysis of marine and coastal planning, how international processes influence it and progress in Mexico, Chile and Peru. Marine and coastal planning is widely recognized as a key instrument for sustainable management of marine and coastal resources, including protected areas, recovery of species bearing commercial importance, restoration of ecosystems, development of environmental services schemes and sediment pollution control. The chapter looks at examples of planning for the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the exclusive economic zone in Belgium and the Galapagos Islands Archipelago of Ecuador. To date, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a universally accepted instrument and is extensively applied around the world. However, significant differences can be found in how MSP processes and implementation are undertaken in various regions. Although MSP has shown to be effective for biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and support for ecosystem services, gaps and limitations do exist and need to be identified and addressed.
