Managing coastal resources and spaces in Spain: Policy and institutions of a legislature (2004-2008)

Abstract

This article studies the government of Spain’s coastal management during one legislature (2004-2008) as an analysis of a specific public policy; it assesses progress in the management model through ten key issues related to the Ministry of the Environment’s Directorate General of Coasts. The results allow us to offer several affirmations: firstly, a notable lack of integration in Spain’s coastal management still remains; secondly, interesting initiatives for changing the traditional coastal management model have arisen; thirdly, these initiatives have had very little impact on management for a number of different reasons (the absence of a policy based on a broad perspective, very slow-paced application, impediments in the relationship between the government system and the scope of management) and lastly, the management model will need to overcome serious stumbling blocks as long as progress is not achieved in several of the key issues studied (policy, coordination, institutions, strategy, administrators and participation, etc.).