D4.3: Stakeholder Visions and Perspectives on the Future from the Argentina Case Study

ROJAS, MARA; ZILIO, MARIANA; LONDON, SILVIA; BUSTOS, MA. LUJÁN; HUAMANTINCO CISNEROS, ANDREA; SCORDO, FACUNDO; FERRELLI, FEDERICO; PERILLO, GERARDO; PICCOLO, CINTIA; VITALE, VALERIA; BORDINO, PABLO; BERNINSONE, LEONARDO; PASCALE, JUAN CARLOS

2013-09-15/2014-09-14

1-44

Socioeconómica y socioecológica

Des.Socioecon.y Serv.-Politica y Planif.del

This document presents the third deliverable (D4.3) of Working Package 3 (WP3), entitled "Stakeholder Visions and Perspectives on the Future from the Argentina Case Study". This deliverable focuses on the identification of sustainable community based governance models for the management of natural resources that can respond to global environmental change. In this stage, we consider how the current system for governing and managing the natural resource in question can respond to potential changes in the future. Scenario Methods use the creativity of several plausible futures to explore possible strategies. The aim is to propose tools for a community-based sustainable management and governance models in marine and coastal systems and up-scaling the results to other areas. The work carried out in COMET-LA has a clearly participatory approach, which involves actively different stakeholders and especially members of the communities in the entire process of data collection, systematization and analysis. The research team followed the common scenario-planning methodology, but it was adapted where necessary to suit the needs of the case study. The methodology set out what data have to be collected at every stage; resulting in: a list of drivers and internal variables chosen by the researchers, a morphological analysis of driver impacts on these variables, field notes on the community?s views on the morphological analysis, three narratives of the future derived using global archetypes validated by the community members, field notes on the community?s views of the narratives, a list of possible response options, including existing response options, a matrix of how response options might respond in the scenario conditions, a matrix of how the response options might respond to shocks, a final list of robust response options and strategies, a list of the implications of the robust response options/strategies, a plan for taking these response options/strategies forward. The scenario analysis was realized in four steps: ? Step 1: Exploration of how different key trends can affect the system in the future. ? Step 2: Construction of possible future scenarios using archetypes. Narrative writings. Validation of narratives by stakeholders (SHs). ? Step 3: Identification of possible responses ? Step 4: Implications of the responses on the local system management/governance. The last workshop (July 7, 2014) coincided with the visit of the entire COMET-LA team and it took place at the IADO, Bahía Blanca. Step 4 inquired about the implications and appropriateness of the responses obtained locally and identified possible strategies and future plans through specific actions. The strongest 5 recognized responses were analyzed one by one with respect to what, who and how they could each be carried out. The meetings were always completed in an atmosphere of relaxation and warmth, with a coffee break and refreshments, that allowed the SH to meet, to talk to each other, to share problems and to increase the bonds of friendship generated along the three years of COMET LA activities. The SH repeatedly pointed out that, before the COMET LA project, they had not had enough time or environment to meet each other. Thus, one of the most important results of the COMET-LA Project was the creation of a space for exchanging ideas, discussing common problems and sharing knowledge and opinions with the scientists. The main conclusions from this deliverable are: - Argentina has a cultural focus on present problems and challenges; the conjuncture prevails over the future. Nevertheless, the outcome of the activity was constructive and promising. - The SHs noticed the importance of their participation in all the actions aimed to construct their ?future?. - More specifically, SHs considered that the more relevant issues for Community-based Management are: training and promotion of organizations, environmental education, information dissemination and the development of an appropriate, controlled and genuine legislation coming from their own common interests instead of the powerful interest groups. - SHs mentioned that the interaction with other organisms such as IADO, UNS, INIDEP and Aquamarina is fundamental in order to improve the organizational functioning. - SHs emphasize the need to properly define the chain of command and responsibilities, as well as "approximate" Sh to the levels of decision in the management of resources. - SHs recognize certain "spontaneity" in many of the collective actions arising as a reaction to some specific conflicts, which they are not resulting from planned conscious strategies for addressing the future. - Nevertheless, SHs consider that COMET-LA Project in Argentina is the starting point in the communitarian identity construction. The main fact is that a new space for dialog and interaction between SHs and decision makers appeared, in which community problems can be jointly discussed.