ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ANALYSIS AND INSTITUTIONAL MAPPING: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED CLIMATE POLICY TO REDUCE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEANS SEA LEVEL RISE RISK

Abstract

Never before have the needs for climate adaptation been so urgent, in response to the change that takes place nowadays at an unprecedented pace. As the world coastal areas impacts increase, mainly due to the accelerated sea level rise (SLR), so the pressure on the administrations will grow to reach a coastal development allowing the reduction of its vulnerability, dependent on the basis of a correct integrated climate. The creation of an institutional dimension capable of withstanding this demanding development has been identifid as a key element to meet current climate variability, such as the future climate changes. This paper analyzes the regulatory and institutional landscape (domestic laws and policies) on which the managers of Colombia’s coastal areas count on by 2012, for the incorporation of the adaptation policies against SLR, being the Colombian Caribbean coastal area the special emphasis of this context. The results of the relationship between the management systems and the articles of domestic laws and policies are presented, accompanied by an institutional, intersectoral mapping, which has identifid the institutions responsible for carrying out the public policy-making aiming at the Colombian coastal area integrated climate policy. The analysis shows that, despite the existence of clearly defied management systems in the policy instruments, their practical application falls short of incorporating the sea level rise in the planning instruments, requiring an effective implementation in the short term and the optimization of the human, logistic, and fiancial resources.