A systematic review of integrated coastal and marine management progress reveals core governance characteristics for successful implementation

Integrated coastal and marine management (ICM) holds considerable promise for addressing gaps in conventional sector-based approaches to the management of coastal and marine areas. Progress in operationalizing ICM has been hindered by a lack of appropriate governance arrangements (e.g., mechanisms for making collective decisions about the use and management of coastal systems). This paper develops a framework for analyzing ICM governance based upon a preliminary scoping review, and uses the framework to conduct a structured systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature on ICM between 2010 and 2019 (n = 69). Results suggest that coastal stakeholders have struggled to fully operationalize ICM across many contexts, and that certain characteristics appear to enhance prospects for operationalizing ICM. These include formal governance structures, engagement with diverse actors and innovative mechanisms for coordination and cooperation among multi-actor groups. The paper concludes by revising the ICM framework, based upon the relative importance of topics discussed in the literature, with particular attention to monitoring, evaluation and adaptation stages. The resulting Elements and Characteristics of ICM framework summarizes the state of the field while providing a practical resource for planning and management.

Automated summary

Integrated coastal and marine management (ICM) shows promise in addressing gaps in traditional sector-based approaches. However, coastal stakeholders have faced challenges in fully operationalizing ICM, although certain characteristics such as formal governance structures, engagement with diverse actors, and innovative coordination mechanisms appear to enhance the prospects for successful implementation. This paper revises the ICM framework based on the importance of topics discussed in the literature, particularly focusing on monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation stages.