Coast protection and fight against climate change in Andalusia in light of the project law of modification of the Law of Coasts

Need or convenience to articulate effective collaboration mechanisms against the effects of climate change

Abstract

Since passage of the Coastal Act in force in 1988, there have been many pressures and attempts to downgrade the intense level of protection contained in it, due to its excessively harsh for some issues. The truth is that while the ultimate goal of the standard, which could be called satisfaction principle “coastal sustainability” was and remains the most laudable, it is also true that, looking back, passes over two decades since its adoption, the verifiable fact is that satisfying this principle has not always been achieved, due in large part to the lack of effective cooperation and collaboration between the different competent authorities and even –at times– by lack of coordination between departments of the same administration.

Faced with that reality, and in a context of climate change involves an increase in sea levels and altered the dynamics of the shoreline, we understand that the approval last July 13 Bill Protection and Sustainable Use of Coastal and modification of the Coastal Act, must be an opportunity to get to the bottom of the issue and implement new mechanisms of cooperation between administrations that are truly effective against the effects of climate change on our coasts and deepening existing ones.

In this paper we will address a detailed analysis of the current situation with the Coastal Act in force and proposed changes in the reform, with special attention for its impact in Andalusia.