Participatory governance for mangroves in Ecuador

Globalization and the Welfare State crisis have raised alternative forms of governance that seek to transform social policy and ensure effective societal participation in decision-making. In Latin America, participatory processes have achieved some successes in budget management, transparency, and territorial planning, with strengthening natural resource governance processes still pending. In this context, mangroves are the subject of governance analysis, with participatory management models implemented in several countries involving local populations and non-governmental and governmental organizations in a collaborative working space. Through a literature review, this article focused on the case of mangrove governance in Ecuador, examining how this challenge has been addressed, highlighting the importance of the Sustainable Use and Custody Agreements of the Mangrove Ecosystem (Auscem) as a significant legal and binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of these ecosystems. Additionally, we explored the relevance of multilevel and climate governance and its impact on the mangroves' protection and management.