Frontiers in Marine Science (Jul 2021)
Advancing Social Equity in and Through Marine Conservation
- Nathan J. Bennett,
- Nathan J. Bennett,
- Laure Katz,
- Laure Katz,
- Whitney Yadao-Evans,
- Whitney Yadao-Evans,
- Gabby N. Ahmadia,
- Scott Atkinson,
- Scott Atkinson,
- Natalie C. Ban,
- Neil M. Dawson,
- Neil M. Dawson,
- Neil M. Dawson,
- Asha de Vos,
- Asha de Vos,
- Juno Fitzpatrick,
- David Gill,
- Mael Imirizaldu,
- Mael Imirizaldu,
- Naia Lewis,
- Sangeeta Mangubhai,
- Leah Meth,
- Ella-Kari Muhl,
- David Obura,
- Ana K. Spalding,
- Ana K. Spalding,
- Ana K. Spalding,
- Angelo Villagomez,
- Angelo Villagomez,
- Daniel Wagner,
- Daniel Wagner,
- Alan White,
- Aulani Wilhelm,
- Aulani Wilhelm
Affiliations
- Nathan J. Bennett
- The Peopled Seas Initiative, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Nathan J. Bennett
- People and the Ocean Specialist Group, Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland
- Laure Katz
- Center for Oceans, Conservation International, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Laure Katz
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- Whitney Yadao-Evans
- Center for Oceans, Conservation International, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Whitney Yadao-Evans
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- Gabby N. Ahmadia
- Ocean Conservation, World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, United States
- Scott Atkinson
- Center for Oceans, Conservation International, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Scott Atkinson
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- Natalie C. Ban
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Neil M. Dawson
- School of International Development, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
- Neil M. Dawson
- European School of Political and Social Sciences, Lille, France
- Neil M. Dawson
- FRB-CESAB, Montpellier, France
- Asha de Vos
- 0Oceanswell, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Asha de Vos
- 1Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Juno Fitzpatrick
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- David Gill
- 2Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Mael Imirizaldu
- Center for Oceans, Conservation International, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Mael Imirizaldu
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- Naia Lewis
- 3Big Ocean, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Sangeeta Mangubhai
- 4Fiji Country Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Suva, Fiji
- Leah Meth
- 5CEA Consulting, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Ella-Kari Muhl
- 6Environmental Change and Governance Group, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- David Obura
- 7Coastal Oceans Research and Development – Indian Ocean East Africa, Mombasa, Kenya
- Ana K. Spalding
- 8School of Public Policy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
- Ana K. Spalding
- 9Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
- Ana K. Spalding
- 0Coiba Research Station (COIBA-AIP), Panama City, Panama
- Angelo Villagomez
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- Angelo Villagomez
- 1The Pew Charitable Trusts, Washington, DC, United States
- Daniel Wagner
- Center for Oceans, Conservation International, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Daniel Wagner
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- Alan White
- 2USAID SEA Project, wARD Tetra Tech, Inc., Pasadena, CA, United States
- Aulani Wilhelm
- Center for Oceans, Conservation International, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Aulani Wilhelm
- Blue Nature Alliance, Arlington, VA, United States
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.711538
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 8
Abstract
Substantial efforts and investments are being made to increase the scale and improve the effectiveness of marine conservation globally. Though it is mandated by international law and central to conservation policy, less attention has been given to how to operationalize social equity in and through the pursuit of marine conservation. In this article, we aim to bring greater attention to this topic through reviewing how social equity can be better integrated in marine conservation policy and practice. Advancing social equity in marine conservation requires directing attention to: recognition through acknowledgment and respect for diverse peoples and perspectives; fair distribution of impacts through maximizing benefits and minimizing burdens; procedures through fostering participation in decision-making and good governance; management through championing and supporting local involvement and leadership; the environment through ensuring the efficacy of conservation actions and adequacy of management to ensure benefits to nature and people; and the structural barriers to and institutional roots of inequity in conservation. We then discuss the role of various conservation organizations in advancing social equity in marine conservation and identify the capacities these organizations need to build. We urge the marine conservation community, including governments, non-governmental organizations and donors, to commit to the pursuit of socially equitable conservation.
Keywords
- ocean equity
- social equity
- marine conservation
- marine protected areas
- marine policy
- ocean governance
