Behind the increasing erosion problem: The role of local institutions and social capital on coastal management in Argentina

ROJAS, M.L.; RECALDE, M.Y.; LONDON, S.; PERILLO, G.M.E.; ZILIO, M.I.; PICCOLO, M.C.

OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2014 vol. 93 p. 76 - 87

0964-5691

Coastal ecosystems are one of the most impacted and altered regions worldwide, both because of naturalreasons and because of the large population that is concentrated along the coasts. In Argentina, theproblem of coastal erosion is very important as these areas represent the 18.33% of the whole territorywith 36% of population living in this area. The objective of the present article is to characterize the mainproblems related to the use of resources and coastal management, leading to coastal erosion, from theperceptions of stakeholders and decision makers in the coastal zone of Pehuén Co and Monte Hermoso,Argentina. The fieldwork was performed by participative methodologies, while the results were analyzedunder the institutional and social capital theoretical framework. One of the main results of the paper isthat the lack of a strong social capital in the region and the existence of formal monitoring and sanctioningprocedures developed by distant governmental institutions have increased the overexploitationof coast and beaches. Notwithstanding, the current and future relevance of coastal erosion for the regionwill demand the elaboration of bottom-up policies to reduce the vulnerability of the region and theperformance of the adaptation policies.