Modeling to evaluate coastal governance in Brazil

There is little analysis on coastal governance systems that integrates and understands contexts influencing the decision-making process and governance. This work aimed at developing a conceptual model that can comprehensively represent the governance of Coastal zones, utilizing descriptors defined by the Decalogue for Coastal Management (DCM). The model was applied to the Brazilian coastal management program and validated by a questionnaire to the 17 Brazilian regional coastal managers. The results allowed to build the Critical Component for Coastal Governance (CCCG) Index. This index was the base to develop a SWOT analysis of the coastal governance system in Brazil. The authors concluded that the strengths of the coastal management system in Brazil are based on important tools and strategies in place and on the defined administrative structure. On the other hand, the weakness lies on important operative tools that are not implemented jeopardizing the decision-making process. When it comes to external factors, the normative arrangement can be considered an opportunity for Brazil, but its lack of enforcement can easily transform this opportunity into threats. CCCG index proved to be capable of pointing the most critical components of the coastal management system and it was higher on the internal elements and processes than on the external ones, meaning the coastal management system in Brazil is suffering more from an internal weakness of its components than from an external threat. The index can also be used as a baseline for further monitoring, having a great potential for the evaluation of coastal management processes. •Coastal governance system can be represented in a conceptual model.•The system’s internal and external elements and processes can be evaluated by a CCCG index when applied to a case study.•The CCCG index can be used as a baseline for monitoring, having a great potential for coastal management initiatives evaluation.