Doing marine spatial zoning in coastal marine tropics: Palawan’s Environmental Critical Areas Network (ECAN)

Zoning is an important tool in marine spatial planning (MSP) for balancing the multi-uses of environment. Whilst mainly developed conceptually and implemented Europe North America, zoning becoming a popular addressing diverse coastal issues tropics. However, we know little about how it being practice that context. In this study, analysed factors strategies enable hinder establishment low-income tropics through case study 26-year history development Environmental Critical Areas Network (ECAN) Palawan, Philippines. We employed two participatory methods: Innovation Histories to investigate implementation barriers opportunities change over time, Net-Map method reveal social relations power distributions enabled, blocked, stalled its implementation. found MSP can be durable these contexts when institutionalised national law adopted by local co-coordinative bodies, yet remains externally-driven agenda. Our shows scaling up does not necessarily help resolve conflicts around space, highlights importance influence political economy on outcomes. conclude MSP’s insensitivity contextual politics raises concerns inclusivity, equity justice. Moving forward, needs make conflicts, trade-offs explicit at outset decision-making involves empowers all stakeholders from early stages initiatives.