From an environmental strategy to a national integrated coastal and ocean policy. The successful Mexican experience

This paper presents the general steps followed by the Mexican government towards the definition of a national integrated policy for oceans and coast. Due to the complex legal, regulatory and administrative frameworks related with the coastal zone and seas management in Mexico, in 2008 and by presidential instructions, a high level inter-ministerial commission for the sustainable management of seas and coast (CIMARES) was created. The main objective of the CIMARES Commission is provide the country with a National Policy for Seas and Coast, strength the governability of the marine/coastal regions, increase the productive capacity of the economic forces assuring environmental sustainability, promote transparency and public participation in the decision making process, as well as improve and harmonize the inter-governmental and inter-sectoral framework for action. The objective of this paper is to analyse the conformation and operation process of the CIMARES Commission, the problems and opportunities detected as a high level working group, and present the results obtained in terms of the construction and development of the Mexico´s National Policy for Oceans and Coast