MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL/MARINE BIOSPHERE RESERVES: GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

Shifting to evidence based heritage governance and management
Loredana Alfare & Engelbert Ruoss
October 2020

Coastal Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves present different types of governance and management systems and are excellent laboratories for experimenting new strategies facing environmental, socio-economic and political challenges. The study carried out on 20 selected Biosphere Reserves evaluated the existing governance and management system as well as opportunities and ways to transform and adapt them to the changing evidences in the Mediterranean Basin. Protected areas, in particular Biosphere Reserves contribute to reduce environmental and anthropogenic negative impacts. They offer excellent opportunities to experience new approaches and to learn from models how to change and accelerate transformation processes driven by local realities and challenges sustained by local population and stakeholders. A strong commitment by national authorities to establish an inclusive good governance, with strong local actor's participation and collaboration, as well as adequate funding and human resource allocation is essential for success. The delegation of authority and accountability to the single Biosphere Reserve could enable them to prepare and to promptly react to emergencies concerning current and future challenges.