ABSTRACT
The final chapter presents a comparative analysis of the last set of five parameters – those pertaining to governance. The five parameters are: Planning institutions and instruments; public participation and access to justice; integration and coordination; compliance and enforcement; and climate change awareness. The analysis exposes many disparities across the countries, yet also trends of positive convergence. First, many countries have in recent years adopted new planning institutions or instruments dedicated to their coastal zones. Second, although in most jurisdictions the legal rights of public participation have not been enhanced specifically for coastal zone management, there are significant examples of civil-society legal and political activism that have successfully pushed ICZM forward. Third, there are signs of progress related to integration and coordination, especially in new institutional initiatives established to improve coordination. Fourth, on the critical issue of noncompliance and enforcement, there are still major disparities, but in the countries where illegal construction or use in coastal zones is still rampant, recent years have shown sign of progress. Finally, on a highly disappointing chord, many countries have not yet incorporated specific tools to address the special challenges of climate change along their coasts. Yet here too, there are signs of some improvement.
