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Marine ecosystem services: Perceptions of indispensability and pathways to engaging citizens in their sustainable use

Author

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  • Blasiak, Robert
  • Yagi, Nobuyuki
  • Kurokura, Hisashi
  • Ichikawa, Kaoru
  • Wakita, Kazumi
  • Mori, Aimee

Abstract

Research on attitudes towards the conservation and sustainable use of natural systems has predominantly focused on terrestrial systems. While marine systems provide crucial ecosystem services that support human well-being, some are significantly more tangible in people’s everyday lives, leading to more complex perceptions of their value. An assessment of perceptions about marine ecosystem services as well as willingness to engage in the conservation and sustainable use of these ecosystem services through taxation, donation, volunteering, or other activities is provided here based on a randomized survey of 1434 residents of the USA. Statistical analysis is presented, which suggests that: (1) respondents view oceans as a truly global commons with little distinction between the national and international indispensability of the ecosystem services they provide; (2) among the options for engaging citizens in the sustainable use of ecosystem services, respondents were most averse to taxation, a trend that is strongly correlated with age and more weakly correlated with gender; (3) perceptions about the potential loss of ecosystem services are a much stronger indicator for willingness to engage in their sustainable use than perceptions about the current status of the ecosystem services; (4) there is little or no correlation between political leanings and geographical location of respondents and their perceptions of marine ecosystem services or readiness to engage in their conservation and sustainable use. Among other things, these findings provide a basis for developing policies aimed at maximizing public engagement in sustainable management of marine ecosystem services, while identifying mechanisms most likely to meet with resistance from the general public.

Suggested Citation

  • Blasiak, Robert & Yagi, Nobuyuki & Kurokura, Hisashi & Ichikawa, Kaoru & Wakita, Kazumi & Mori, Aimee, 2015. "Marine ecosystem services: Perceptions of indispensability and pathways to engaging citizens in their sustainable use," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 155-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:marpol:v:61:y:2015:i:c:p:155-163
    DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2015.08.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hynes, Stephen & Norton, Danny & Corless, Rebecca, 2014. "Investigating societal attitudes towards the marine environment of Ireland," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 57-65.
    2. Rögnvaldur Hannesson, 2011. "Game Theory and Fisheries," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 181-202, October.
    3. Kallbekken, Steffen & Sælen, Håkon, 2011. "Public acceptance for environmental taxes: Self-interest, environmental and distributional concerns," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2966-2973, May.
    4. Wakita, Kazumi & Shen, Zhonghua & Oishi, Taro & Yagi, Nobuyuki & Kurokura, Hisashi & Furuya, Ken, 2014. "Human utility of marine ecosystem services and behavioural intentions for marine conservation in Japan," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 53-60.
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    1. Chakraborty, Shamik & Gasparatos, Alexandros & Blasiak, Robert, 2020. "Multiple values for the management and sustainable use of coastal and marine ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    2. Jones, Estelle & Chikwama, Cornilius, 2021. "Access to marine ecosystems services: Inequalities in Scotland's young people," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    3. Lopes, Rita & Videira, Nuno, 2019. "How to articulate the multiple value dimensions of ecosystem services? Insights from implementing the PArticulatES framework in a coastal social-ecological system in Portugal," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Emma McKinley & Oscar Aller-Rojas & Caroline Hattam & Celine Germond-Duret & Inés Vicuña San Martín & Charlotte Rachael Hopkins & Héctor Aponte & Tavis Potts, 2019. "Charting the course for a blue economy in Peru: a research agenda," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 2253-2275, October.
    5. Lau, Jacqueline D. & Hicks, Christina C. & Gurney, Georgina G. & Cinner, Joshua E., 2019. "What matters to whom and why? Understanding the importance of coastal ecosystem services in developing coastal communities," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 219-230.

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