Community attitudes towards crocodiles in northern Queensland: a case study of the role of socio-cultural factors in the management of dangerous wildlife

A survey of attitudes towards the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) was conducted in northern Queensland (Australia) in communities chosen for their distinct cultural background (Aboriginal / non Aboriginal), community structure (mining town, farming community, tourist destination and urban centre), residence status (local resident/visitor), proximity to crocodile habitats, and remoteness. Attitudes were a mix of emotional responses (empathy and/or fear of crocodiles primarily) and crocodile management expectations (various levels of crocodile population control), with a dominance of risk management expectations in resident communities as opposed to the visitors in those communities. Empathy towards crocodiles and risk perception were investigated in relation to knowledge, experience, communication networks, social background and gender. The distribution of knowledge and experience was closely related to residence near crocodile habitats, predominantly vicarious and lacking in ecological understanding. Risk perception was primarily affected by residence near crocodile habitats and the cultural background or residents (Aboriginal / non Aboriginal) while the distribution of empathy was indicative of broader cultural values. The were interpreted in relation to attitudes towards the non-human world (discrimination between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal attitudes) and the regional historical and cultural context of the Frontier and its importance in the construction of the national identity (discriminating between northern Queensland residents and visitors). A brief discussion of management implications is presented focusing on the importance of equitable distribution of social benefits and costs of management policies, the relevance of public participation and management issues arising from a diverse social and cultural environment

Financing a sustainable ocean economy

The ocean, which regulates climate and supports vital ecosystem services, is crucial to our Earth system and livelihoods. Yet, it is threatened by anthropogenic pressures and climate change. A healthy ocean that supports a sustainable ocean economy requires adequate financing vehicles that generate, invest, align, and account for financial capital to achieve sustained ocean health and governance. However, the current finance gap is large; we identify key barriers to financing a sustainable ocean economy and suggest how to mitigate them, to incentivize the kind of public and private investments needed for topnotch science and management in support of a sustainable ocean economy

Good governance for sustainable blue economy in small islands: Lessons learned from the Seychelles experience

The blue economy has emerged as an influential global concept. It is commonly understood to relate to the development of the ocean in a manner which also addresses concerns about ocean health in the face of increasing demands on ocean resources, marine pollution, and climate change. While the blue economy holds potential to act as an integrating policy framework for the sustainable development of the ocean, to date, there are limited examples of implementation in practice to test the usefulness of the concept. Based on a typology of “good governance” adapted from existing global typologies, we investigated the role of blue economy governance in enabling integration. We used a mixed methods approach to explore the experience of Seychelles, a blue economy early adopter, combining policy and institutional analysis, semistructured interviews with key actors and partners, and country fieldwork. Our analysis shows that from its inception, Seychelles\u27 vision of blue economy was a transformative model of development based on the protection and sustainable use of ocean resources for the benefit of Seychellois, consistent with the SDGs. Thanks to early political leadership and international engagement, the adoption of the blue economy concept was successful in raising awareness of the ocean health and its connection to people and the economy, and in establishing the basis of a national blue economy “architecture,” which helped secure innovative finance for implementation. Transitioning to implementation, several governance challenges emerged, which included maintaining high-level political momentum, stakeholder engagement, and institutional coordination and capacity. While some governance barriers to effective integration may be unique to Seychelles, some are common to SIDS, and others are found in a range of governance settings. Seychelles international visibility has brought high expectations, not always commensurate with local aspirations, capabilities, and jurisdictional responsibilities. Bridging the gap between global expectations and local realities will require support for locally driven institutional reforms, which take account of issues of scale, culture, and capacity

From concept to practice: Financing sustainable blue economy in lessons learnt from the Seychelles experience

Despite an international enthusiasm for private capital to meet the financing gap in sustainable development, private sector finance for sustainable development and blue economy is still a very small percentage of global investment. Repurposed bonds and debt for nature swaps have gaining support with policy makers, international organizations, and investors keen to align their investment with global goals and borrowing countries with large ocean domains seeking new sources of finance. The paper explores how those trends have generated new financing opportunities for Small Islands Developing States, a group internationally recognized vulnerable countries, using Seychelles experience in blue economy development and financing through a blue bond and a debt swap. Based on interviews of local and international actors selected for their engagement in Seychelles blue economy finance, the research showed both global and local drivers and challenges to successfully attracting and delivering on private finance. A favorable global policy and financing climate, international partners with technical expertise and ability to di-risk private investment, political will and stability, clarity of national priorities, accountable institutions and sound financial management were key factors in Seychelles’ success in securing private finance. However, implementation challenges were identified, from improved access to affordable finance to the strengthening the local enabling environment and private sector capabilities. High level of indebtedness and structural vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) combined with the inequality of the global financing architecture, which favors creditors over borrowers’ needs, remain key challenges to address the financing gap identified by the global community. Stronger SIDS voices in financing fora are needed to ensure the fair and equitable financing of sustainable blue economy

Global blue economy governance – A methodological approach to investigating blue economy implementation

The proliferation of the blue economy in political discourse has gained traction in recent years, however, there remains no standardized definition. The triple bottom line goals of economic development, social equity, and environmental conservation are at the center of the blue economy vision. Yet the ambiguities surrounding the term have resulted in considerable variation in how the blue economy is implemented and what is prioritized. This paper takes a global snapshot of current approaches to national level blue economy governance. In doing so this paper provides the first global assessment of blue economy implementation approaches, through the development of a global blue economy database. Using the best available information from policy documents, media releases and other publicly available online information, we comparatively analyzed each country’s governance strategy to assess the level of blue economy development in coastal states around the world. Throughout this paper we outline the novel methodological approach we took in order to develop a tool for analyzing national level blue economy implementation on the global scale. This approach will allow for ongoing and continued analysis of blue economy operationalization as the concept continues to evolve

Mapping flows of blue economy finance: ambitious narratives, opaque actions, and social equity risks

The blue economy provides a sustainability framework for ocean governance, but it is unclear whether narratives are matched by binding financial commitments and disbursements. Amid attention being paid to “funding gaps” in the Sustainable Development Goals, a lack of transparency in financial flows means that the blue economy concept risks being co-opted to facilitate further exploitation of ocean spaces and resources without contributing to environmental sustainability or social equity. Here, we analyze blue-economy-labeled money flows disbursed between 2017 and 2021 to identify sources and recipients and potential social equity impacts on the ground. Financing is predominantly disbursed to Europe and Central Asia and skewed toward business development and renewable energy. Our analysis reveals widespread occurrence of “red flags” for social equity outcomes. Although constrained to money flows that actively employ blue economy language, our findings show disconnects between finance and narratives of equity, inclusion, and sustainability. We offer a baseline for critical examination of blue finance flows in delivering equity and environmental sustainability