Coastal NRM Challenges: Meeting Regional Challenges through Local Government Planning Processes

Abstract

This paper argues for maximum local government involvement in coastal environmental and natural resource management. It is contended that local government can successfully operate at the regional scale in collaborative planning and management arrangements. As one of the three legitimate levels of government, local government is well supported by existing and proven planning and administrative frameworks which positions it well to implement its share of the regional NRM agenda. That said, there is also a need to acknowledge that local Government cannot and should not operate in isolation. Hence, vertical and horizontal collaborative ventures should be encouraged with local government, at the same time that capacity enhancement occurs for specific coastal NRM aspects. Collaborative local government arrangements, whereby local government acts to address regional environmental infrastructure requirements, can result in a number of regional scale outcomes that safeguard and improve the condition of the coastal region.