Navigating policy transfer from international organizations to single states: the case of marine spatial planning adoption in Colombia

Abstract

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is being widely adopted as a policy instrument for sustainable marine governance. The international organization IOC-UNESCO is one of its main promoters among the Global South countries. Given the relevance of MSP, it is of utmost importance to understand the policy transfer process from IOC-UNESCO to individual states. The study uses policy transfer theory with elements of process tracing to describe and explain the process of MSP transfer and adoption, with a particular focus on Colombia. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the determining factors of domestic and international character, and of the underlying causal mechanisms. The study finds learning from narratives to be the main causal mechanism for policy transfer; the international factors as necessary for it to happen, whereas the domestic factors, such as past policy experiences and inter-sectoral dynamics, as determining for the policy transfer pace and the adopted content.