An Examination of Environmental Institutions and Co-Management toward Environmental Protection: The Case of TRNC

“Co-management” theory, which is also, used interchangeably with “co-production” offers a useful and practical framework for illuminating the environmental institutions‟ approach to environmental issues and challenges. Especially, when there are a high number of resource users with direct contact with the processes of consumption and production of environmental resources, co-management offers a productive platform to the governmental institutions and those resource users. However, one of the main ingredients of co-management, if it is going to succeed, is power sharing between institutions and the resource users. In a way, power sharing becomes a balancing act between communities and institutions where the domain of co-production (e.g., the environmental protection) requires change through common ground while setting aside each other‟s differences. The aim of this research is, to explore the extend of „co-management‟ in the case of TRNC, which is facing a great task and challenge regarding the environmental protection and sustainability of the resources. Assumption is that there is no clear agenda based on a practical approach to this end. Neither institutions nor the resource users have been able to agree on a framework towards the environmental challenges which is essential for the main industry-the tourism. Further assumption is that the meaning and value of co-management have not been understood and contemplated in the case of TRNC knowing the fact that co-management is a logical approach to solve resource protection and management problem by power sharing and partnership. To investigate the conditions of co-management in this case, a qualitative research approach, based on an in-depth interview, with various parties in the relevant institutions, NGOs and academicians was conducted. The result showed that notwithstanding awareness of environmental challenges and an urgency to tackle those challenges, there is no awareness of „co-management‟ and its practicality. However, a desire, especially among the institutions, to commit themselves to overcome the environmental challenges exist; but lack of knowledge and methodologies how to approach is missing. Keywords: Co-management – Adaptive co-management – Co-production – Institutions