Argentina: Coastal Lagoons and Other Circulation?Restricted Environments

by Aldo Brandani, Centro para el Manejo de Costas, Buenos Aires, Argentina,
Daniel Rolleri, Centro para el Manejo de Costas, Buenos Aires, Argentina,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: The Management of Coastal Lagoons and Enclosed Bays

Abstract:

Argentina shows a peculiar profile concerning coastal management. On one hand the country does not have a integrated coastal management program as defined by international institutional assessments. At the same time, the nation's primary social actors: non-governmental organizations (NGOs), political parties and governmental institutions are increasing their efforts and actions on environmental management. Although issue-oriented actions focus on coastal zones, especially estuarine, semi-enclosed bays, coastal lagoons, tidal marshes and other (water mass) circulation-restricted environments. Climatic impacts reaching unprecedented catastrophic dimensions affect the developed portion of the coast, especially the Federal District and Northern Buenos Aires Province coastline. Industrial and domestic pollution is impacting coastal areas. Public health concerns are on coastal or water-borne impacts and diseases such as cholera. Governmental and private responses are increasing the demand for environmental services and mitigation programs applied principally on coasts. Provinces are enacting environmental legislation dedicated to protect and conserve sensitive and fragile provincial environments. On coastal provinces these equate almost totally to coastal lagoons, tidal marshes, gulfs and semi-enclosed bays. Provinces are moving from production to conservation strategies, enacting legislation and creating institutional arrangements to that effect. Coastal provinces have steadily increased the number, size and scope of their environmental reserves, all with coastal components. Argentina is developing a permanent national environmental program, issue-oriented and focused on coastal resources and environments. Analogous international experience indicates the country would gradually move toward an explicit integrated coastal management program.

Subject Headings: Coastal management | Lagoons | Developing countries | Water circulation | Sea water | Tides | Public health and safety | Argentina | South America

Services: Buy this book/Buy this article

 

Return to search