Increasing Capacity for Stewardship of Oceans and Coasts A Priority for the 21st Century (2008) / Chapter Skim
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4 Moving Toward Effectiveness: Identifying Barriers to and Constraints on Effective Capacity-Building
4 Moving Toward Effectiveness: Identifying Barriers to and Constraints on Effective Capacity-Building
Pages 50-62
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From page 50... ...
BARRIERS TO AND CONSTRAINTS ON CAPACITY-BUILDING Improving the current system for growing capacity for stewardship of ocean and coastal areas requires a critical look at past activities. This chapter identifies the barriers and constraints that have hampered earlier efforts to build resource management capabilities.
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From page 51... ...
For instance, fisheries management requires not only controls to prevent overfishing but conservation of fish habitats, such as sea grass beds or marshes, to maintain the productivity of the stocks; effective coastal zone management is required to prevent loss of these valuable habitats. Various aspects of capacity development will be specific to any given sector, but complementary efforts among sectors will be required to reduce fragmentation and make progress toward ecosystem-based management.
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From page 52... ...
Government institutions often falter in their efforts to increase and sustain capac ity in ocean and coastal resources management when political will is lacking. Capacity is developed to achieve particular goals, reach particular targets, enable policy reform, or ensure more effective monitoring and enforcement.
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From page 53... ...
; representative NGOs involved in capacity-building, such as the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund; foundations, such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Nippon Foundation; and international science and coordination organizations, such as the International Academy of Sciences initiated by the U.S.
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From page 54... ...
The values of migratory tuna and other species and the ad hoc licensing regime for the fisheries were debated by parliamentarians. The ongoing press coverage of the need for better management of marine fisheries resources and the plight of the coastal residents, who were among the poorest in the nation, contributed to the mobilization of political will for growing capacity for governance of ocean and coastal resources.
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From page 55... ...
The lack of capacity to address large-scale transboundary problems, beyond the small-scale conservation projects and piecemeal ICM efforts, poses a serious challenge to efforts to reverse the environmental degradation that is occurring in all the world's oceans. Many environmental issues -- such as pollution, climate change, protection of ocean and freshwater resources, and biodiversity conservation -- are transboundary issues that require multinational government actions or coordinated actions among smaller states.
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From page 56... ...
In many regions, population pressures on limited land and water resources, government policies that impede change, and poor access to information or financial resources make adaptation difficult or slow. The mismatch between the dynamics of natural systems and human responses to changes compromises society's ability to anticipate and develop adaptation strategies to cope with change.
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From page 57... ...
Where government is weak, other institutions, such as markets and units of civil society, could provide the leadership to facilitate resource stewardship. Those concerned with building or growing local capacity should understand the governance situation in the places where they invest, including not only the roles, responsibilities, and strengths of various institutions but the larger societal context in which the institutions are embedded.
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From page 58... ...
. Creating a more effec tive, integrated management system requires attention to the design and implementation of strategies that link local and national activities, recognize the transboundary nature of ocean and coastal issues, and foster international cooperation.
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From page 59... ...
Conflicting Priorities Effective stewardship of our oceans and coasts occurs at the convergence of the interests of resource users, resource stakeholders, communities, local and national governments, and international agencies. However, the overlap of such varied institutions and interests with different goals and priorities often results in controversy and conflict.
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From page 60... ...
The difficulties of complying with complex management plans and bureaucratic procedures required by the government or donors and the cost of staffing and equipment needed to carry out man agement and monitoring requirements may be overwhelming. Understanding how to cre ate technical tools for assessment takes time, and the development of such tools imposes huge costs on institutions, especially those in less-developed countries.
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From page 61... ...
Although there is a trend toward a more systematic approach to ocean and coastal management worldwide, this has not been true of related capacity-building efforts. The various donor organizations and the agencies and institutions receiving funds have limited their scope largely to their mandates and thereby reduced their ability to contribute to the system as a whole and potentially jeopardized the overall success of their programs (National Research Council, 2001; Ward et al., 2002)
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From page 62... ...
Donor investments in building capacity should be based on stated needs, not on visions imposed by those with capacity on those lacking capacity. Those attempting to build capacity should be aware of issues of scale and should anticipate the need to build strategic networks of institutions at the various levels of government.
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