Prioritizing actions for coastal management: A methodological proposal

Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMP) are important instruments legally defined in National Coastal Management in Brazil. In order to put coastal management into practice, the development of strategic actions (involving the processes of institutional development and coastal governance) and operational actions (directly applied to marine and coastal territories) are required, thus ensuring environmental quality. However, the lack of prioritization among the various actions that are listed as important has led to the development of coastal management plans at various levels (national, regional, state or local) which are not actually carried out. The large number of actions considered important lead to the need for prioritization of the most essential ones, those with a drag potential or driving force in relation to others. The prioritization method developed and presented in this study enables to focus on the most relevant actions by establishing a numerical rating of options. This methodology also enables to list a number of coastal zone management projects which prioritize strategic and operational actions. Prioritization is necessary as it gives guidelines for coastal managers to choose which projects should be implemented first, considering the scarcity of financial and human resources, a common situation in many coastal regions. As a result, prioritization turns coastal management plans into actions.