Diagnosis of Integrated Coastal Management in Chile

Abstract

Chile is a country with a vast coastal area, and as a result, it relies on economic activities related to this area, however, like many places, there are processes degrading Chile’s coastal areas. The lack of appropriate coastal management plans has endangered ecosystems. Chile’s regulations and policies need to improve and consider not only the coastal border but the entire coastal zone if a good management plan is to be established, currently, a law is being created that encompasses the entire coastal zone and its interactions. Nevertheless, due to access to information and citizen participation supported by laws, the Chilean population has a solid foundation to gradually change the perception of Chile’s coastal areas for the government’s betterment. The coastal zone zoning plans are undoubtedly a good starting point to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of each coastal area. The MIZC decalogue is presented to assess the circumstances Chile is facing in terms of coastal management. Keywords: Chile, coastal management, coastal areas.