Nicolas Pascal - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Nicolas Pascal
La prevision des risques ecotoxicologiques passe par une approche systemique et critique de la no... more La prevision des risques ecotoxicologiques passe par une approche systemique et critique de la notion de developpement durable. En envisageant, pour la Nouvelle Caledonie, un risque potentiel maximal d'augmentation des efflorescences algales nuisibles, nous mettons en evidence l'articulation des risques ecologiques, biologiques, sanitaires et socioeconomiques (loisirs, tourisme, peche, habitudes alimentaires, sante, culture et structures politiques). Nous evoquons en conclusion la question de la gouvernance d'un risque environnemental a partir de la notion de « bien public mondial » et de « rationalite collective ».
Chapitre 14. Préserver la biodiversité des récifs coralliens : l’évaluation économique comme outil d’une gouvernance multi-échelle
Les sciences humaines et sociales dans le Pacifique Sud
Introduction Les écosystèmes coralliens constituent un thème d’étude particulièrement prisé des é... more Introduction Les écosystèmes coralliens constituent un thème d’étude particulièrement prisé des écologues en raison de leur exceptionnelle biodiversité et leur rôle de sentinelle face aux changements globaux. Chaque année, des centaines d’articles scientifiques viennent enrichir la littérature internationale en ce domaine. Il en va autrement des sciences humaines et sociales (SHS) qui, d’une manière générale, traitent moins d’environnement littoral, et en particulier d’écosystèmes aquatiques...
International Aid with a Long-term Perspective: Proposed Guidelines for Effective Development through Community Partnerships Based on the Haitian Experience
he attainment of adept international partnership outcomes in the global world — particularly in e... more he attainment of adept international partnership outcomes in the global world — particularly in exacerbated settings such as Haiti — is hampered by a lack of sustainability principles and limited capacity building opportunities, such as institutional development. This is further compounded by the unintended consequences of volunteerism in service provision and inadequate empowerment of local communities. Although volunteerism may provide lower income countries with benefits, there are impending pitfalls. Since this form of assistance is compartmentalized, rather than institutionalized, the capacity building of the society remains isolated. This risks fragmentation when greater cohesion is necessary. The conditions in Haiti call for more strategic partnerships to harness and realize latent development potential. Institutional partnership is an effective methodology for developing pertinent interventions with socially marginalized communities; although implementation is challenging, i...
Ecosystem Services, 2021
Threats to our ocean are climbing both public and political agendas. Marine protected areas (MPAs... more Threats to our ocean are climbing both public and political agendas. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a promising example of Nature-Based Solutions that can protect diversity while delivering ecosystem services when used with a rigorous evidence-based approach, effective management and the right investment. However, insufficient funding for expansion and effective management of MPAs remains a challenge; one that particularly affects developing countries. During the last ten years, a community of investors seeking positive social and environmental returns in addition to financial, have stepped in to fill the marine conservation financing gap. Innovative governance and financial mechanisms must be explored at all levels to provide adequate, flexible and timely funding for MPA operations. Collaborative management partnerships are proven vehicles through which this challenge can be addressed, by creating a more investable ("bankable") structure around MPAs. The main advantages of these partnerships are to improve entrepreneurial approaches to the management of Protected Areas and, for Governments, to reduce the financial burden on Public Budgets. An innovative and scalable collaborative management approach has been recently implemented in the Dominican Republic for the South East Coral Reef Marine Sanctuary. Blended finance solutions have been used to cover the up-front capital needs and MPA revenues are being generated for MPA management and investor returns, via a range of sustainable finance tools including fees paid by visitors and sales of blue carbon credits. Beyond protecting biodiversity, potential benefits include supporting ocean ecosystems, enhanced resilience to climate change, and providing food and income for local communities by supporting sustainable fisheries and tourism. This approach is expected to be transformative for MPAs, and precedent-setting for marine conservation worldwide. After presenting in detail the context of marine impact investment, the enabling conditions to scale up the Dominican Republic approach is discussed.
Oceans, 2022
Coastal protection, an important coral reef ecosystem service, is threatened by increasing coral ... more Coastal protection, an important coral reef ecosystem service, is threatened by increasing coral mortality, exacerbated by global climate change. Nature-based solutions in the form of coral restoration, while not perfect, can assist in rebuilding reef structure and improving the flow of the service for some sites. With a financing gap existing between what is required for conservation and what is being accessed, private investors should be playing a larger role in such restoration activities. Especially so as coastal hoteliers in particular, benefit from stable beaches and also have additional income generating potential with healthy reefs. Blended finance solutions in particular, are especially suited to restoration that incorporates substrate addition, while payments for ecosystem services are more suited to coral gardening. Conservation and finance practitioners must engage further and understand each other’s worlds, in order for these private sources to be effectively sourced an...
Mechanisms of climate change impacts to marine ecosystem services
A database of mechanisms of climate change impacts to marine ecosystem services based on a scopin... more A database of mechanisms of climate change impacts to marine ecosystem services based on a scoping review of the published literature from 2012-201
Relationships of impacted ocean ecosystem services to SDGs
A matrix of affects of impacted marine ecosystem services across SDG targets. Expert comments and... more A matrix of affects of impacted marine ecosystem services across SDG targets. Expert comments and supporting literature are provided in comment boxes corresponding to specific cells. Certainty categories are also indicated for each relationshi
We also extend our thanks to all the reviewers from across the Pacific who gave up their time to ‘ground truth ’ this report
This report is based on the information collected by hard working scientists, managers, conservat... more This report is based on the information collected by hard working scientists, managers, conservation organisations and non-governmental organisations working tirelessly across the Pacific. We owe a debt of gratitude to those people who have collected information about coral reefs, their use and management. This project has also benefited greatly from the efforts of those who have collected, managed and synthesised a huge range of information so that we could locate and retrieve this information. We say “thank you ” to the authors of the previous synthesis reports and risk assessments, and also to the custodians of this knowledge in libraries and data systems such as ReefBase Pacific and the Pacific Environmental Information Network. We wish to thank the following organisations which have contributed funds so that this report could be produced and
Coral reefs face increasing challenges and their management is not yet adequate to ensure their c... more Coral reefs face increasing challenges and their management is not yet adequate to ensure their conservation. In the South Pacific, as in other parts of the world and for other environmental issues, coral reef ecosystem valuation is seen by many as an essential instrument needing further development. We analysed five economic studies conducted on the management of coral reefs in the Pacific. These studies were conducted in response to specific requests from a diverse list of stakeholders from a range of countries (Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia and Vanuatu); and they used a variety of economic approaches that range from total economic valuation of ecosystem services to ex-post cost-benefit analysis of MPA through economic assessments of impacts. For the South Pacific, our review has demonstrated that three types of ecosystem services constitute the major share of valuated economic benefits: tourism, coastal protection and fisheries. The expected outcomes for these s...
Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system ... more Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system requires the implementation of a battery of indicators of governance. This governance must take into account both the internal dynamics of the system and the threats coming from the system environment. As part of a research project funded by the French Ministry of Ecology, (Liteau program), 4 coral reef MPAs were selected as pilote studies (St Martin in the Caribbean, Reunion and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, the South Lagoon of New Caledonia in Oceania) to develop jointly between scientists and managers of MPAs governance indicators. The approach is definitely bottom up. It is based on the co-construction of indicators. In that way, the views of the scientists who bring their knowledge of governance and ICZM were crossed with the views of MPA managers who bring their field knowledge and specific requests relating to the management of their MPAs. The process was conducted in 5 steps which...
When are payment for ecosystems services suitable for coral reef derived coastal protection?: A review of scientific requirements
Ecosystem Services, 2021
Abstract Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) is an emerging tool intended to solve a range of ec... more Abstract Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) is an emerging tool intended to solve a range of ecosystem management inefficiencies, by linking conservation action to payment. Such schemes have not been tested to our knowledge, for coral reef derived coastal protection, which is a key Ecosystem Service (ES) for many nations bordered by tropical coral reefs. Coral health is deteriorating globally, as are their ES and inadequate finance is identified as a cross cutting factor stymieing management action. In this paper, we assessed the feasibility of PES for coastal protection, with a focus on the scientific requirements. Key PES elements related solely to ecological processes were isolated, the role of coral reefs in protecting beaches reviewed and priority management options for improving reef health synthesized. Outputs indicate that there is adequate scientific knowledge to satisfy a PES. While there is limited ability to prove and quantify causality between management actions and ES delivery, PES criteria can be satisfied with the substitution of a management proxy, rather than payments being conditional on ES measurements. Management, both passive and active, would focus on aintaining reefs that already have a protective function and front stable beaches, above a functioning threshold.
Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2019
This article reviews the state of coral reefs in French Pacific territories in the context of glo... more This article reviews the state of coral reefs in French Pacific territories in the context of global change (especially threats linked to climate change). We first outline the specific local characteristics, vulnerabilities, and threats faced by the coral reefs of New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna. We also emphasize local and other human communities' economic and cultural reliance on coral reefs. Secondly, we discuss the natural and anthropogenic threats facing coral reefs in French Pacific territories, and current ecological responses such as mitigation and adaptation strategies. We conclude by proposing socioeconomic solutions for the Pacific region across varying scales, with a special focus on enforcement measures and socio-political issues.
Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2019
Coral reef preservation is a challenge for the whole of humanity, not just for the estimated thre... more Coral reef preservation is a challenge for the whole of humanity, not just for the estimated three billion people that directly depend upon coral reefs for their livelihoods and food security. Ocean acidification combined with rising sea surface temperatures, and an array of other anthropogenic influences such as pollution, sedimentation, over fishing, and coral mining represent the key threats currently facing coral reef survival. Here we summarize a list of agreements, policies, and socioeconomic tools and instruments that can be used by global, national and local decision-makers to address ocean acidification and associated threats, as identified during an expert workshop in October 2017. We then discuss these tools and instruments at a global level and identify the key tasks for raising decision makers' awareness. Finally, we suggest ways of prioritizing between different actions or tools for mitigation and adaptation.
Ecosystem Services, 2018
Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained... more Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Marine Policy, 2017
Coral reef resource systems are complex adaptive social-ecological systems providing vital and va... more Coral reef resource systems are complex adaptive social-ecological systems providing vital and valuable ecosystem services for human societies such as food provision, coastal protection and recreational activities. Their sustainability is questioned in many places around the world as they experience combined effects of multiple chronic anthropogenic and natural drivers at local to global scales. From a management perspective, there is a crucial need to understand how the impact of these drivers cascade through the social-ecological system components. This study develops a transdisciplinary and participatory approach to investigating the social-ecological dynamics of a Polynesian coral reef coastal system. A preliminary conceptual model using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact (DPSI) framework is first being built through participatory modeling workshops. Then, pressure-state relationships are assessed with the help of empirical datasets as a first step towards the validation of the DPSI model. Results shows striking social-ecological interactions with different patterns in the lagoon and in the fore reef. Local management should be: (1) less resource-focused to account more specifically to the existing typology of actors; (2) more spatially-explicit to better distinguish management objectives and actions for the lagoon and the fore reef subsystems ; and (3) more coordinated with terrestrial agencies for a coherent land-sea connection and integration that would both (i) account for existing land-sea interactions and (ii) better reflect the Polynesian cultural heritage that considers nature from ridge to reef as a whole. Such conceptual models of social-ecological systems are a useful tool to build exploratory scenarios to ultimately support planning decision-making processes.
Ecosystem Services, 2016
The identification and economic valuation of ecosystem services (ES) are becoming important compo... more The identification and economic valuation of ecosystem services (ES) are becoming important components of coral reef management. In many contexts, protection of human assets against coastal floods is one of the most important ES provided by coral reefs. The methods utilized to characterize this ES should be able to accommodate situations with low data availability, without sacrificing robustness. In this paper, we suggest such an approach that utilizes expert opinion and does not require copious amounts of data. Our primary objective is to find a balance between simple and complex models that can be used in a data scarce environment, to produce an economic valuation of the coral reef ES of protection against coastal floods. The approach has three steps: (i) identify geographic zones and assets at risk, (ii) identify the contributing role of coral reefs in the protection of coasts and, (iii) value the annual repair costs of assets through the avoided damage cost approach. The proposed method seems appropriate for advocacy with policy makers, but appears to be less effective for small scale approaches, such as those required for Payment for ES negotiations or marine spatial planning.
services they provide to humans (see Box 1). This article defended the idea that every ecosystem ... more services they provide to humans (see Box 1). This article defended the idea that every ecosystem can be divided up into its various components and services, each of whose value can be estimated on the basis of the data provided by the many different studies that describe and quantify biological functions, before shifting over to the economic domain. These values, divided on the basis of "use values" and "non-use values", range from the most tangible such as the price that can be gained from selling all or part of a natural asset to the most abstract such as the value attributed to the continued existence of that asset for the enjoyment of future generations (herit-age or bequest value). The cumulative sum of all those values leads to the concept of "total economic value" (TEV), which obviously can be applied to sharks (Fig. 1). This TEV concept is far from perfect conceptually (see Box 2), but it has the merit of making it possible to grasp the diverse ...
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2015
Non-use values (i.e. economic values assigned by individuals to ecosystem goods and services unre... more Non-use values (i.e. economic values assigned by individuals to ecosystem goods and services unrelated to current or future uses) provide one of the most compelling incentives for the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. Assessing the non-use values of non-users is relatively straightforward using stated preference methods, but the standard approaches for estimating non-use values of users (stated decomposition) have substantial shortcomings which undermine the robustness of their results. In this paper, we propose a pragmatic interpretation of non-use values to derive estimates that capture their main dimensions, based on the identification of a willingness to pay for ecosystem protection beyond one's expected life. We empirically test our approach using a choice experiment conducted on coral reef ecosystem protection in two coastal areas in New Caledonia with different institutional, cultural, environmental and socioeconomic contexts. We compute individual willingness to pay estimates, and derive individual non-use value estimates using our interpretation. We find that, a minima, estimates of non-use values may comprise between 25 and 40% of the mean willingness to pay for ecosystem preservation, less than has been found in most studies. Highlights ► We propose a pragmatic economic interpretation of non-use values based on time decay. ► We conduct an empirical application using choice experiments in two coral reef areas. ► We compute implicitly "a minima" individual estimates of non-use values for users. ► These estimates of non-use values may comprise between 25 and 40% of mean willingness to pay. Please note that this is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available on the publisher Web site.
If the role of MPAs as a conservation tool is now widely demonstrated even with some variability,... more If the role of MPAs as a conservation tool is now widely demonstrated even with some variability, their effects on fishery yields, tourism revenues and social aspects are only confirmed by very few studies. More than 550 MPA now exist in the South Pacific mostly community based managedand the expectations on their ecological and socio-economic effects are high. A study based on a control-impact approach has been conducted in Vanuatu (South Pacific) to evaluate the effects of MPA for the local and global community. 3 sites with well established MPAs and their respective control sites have been selected with a similar ecological habitat but with different fishing pressure, tourism development and level of subsistence economy. The most direct effects of MPA on the coral reef fisheries cpue and yields and on the site attractiveness for the tourism industry have been assessed. Other impacts on the social capital bridging and bonding-and governance of local communities were identified too. At a different scale, the benefits in the form of avoided cost for government as well as the attributes of world heritage conservation were considered. Most of these effects were quantified from observed data and as far as possible valued with a bio-economic approach with a special focus on the fishery assessment. The results showed variability in the outcomes between the sites. Some of them present small quantifiable benefits on fishery or tourism and reveal an imbalance between local and global beneficiaries, questioning the future of the MPA. The limits of the western economic approach in the Melanesian cultural context were outlined.
Prospective écologie tropicale
La prevision des risques ecotoxicologiques passe par une approche systemique et critique de la no... more La prevision des risques ecotoxicologiques passe par une approche systemique et critique de la notion de developpement durable. En envisageant, pour la Nouvelle Caledonie, un risque potentiel maximal d'augmentation des efflorescences algales nuisibles, nous mettons en evidence l'articulation des risques ecologiques, biologiques, sanitaires et socioeconomiques (loisirs, tourisme, peche, habitudes alimentaires, sante, culture et structures politiques). Nous evoquons en conclusion la question de la gouvernance d'un risque environnemental a partir de la notion de « bien public mondial » et de « rationalite collective ».
Chapitre 14. Préserver la biodiversité des récifs coralliens : l’évaluation économique comme outil d’une gouvernance multi-échelle
Les sciences humaines et sociales dans le Pacifique Sud
Introduction Les écosystèmes coralliens constituent un thème d’étude particulièrement prisé des é... more Introduction Les écosystèmes coralliens constituent un thème d’étude particulièrement prisé des écologues en raison de leur exceptionnelle biodiversité et leur rôle de sentinelle face aux changements globaux. Chaque année, des centaines d’articles scientifiques viennent enrichir la littérature internationale en ce domaine. Il en va autrement des sciences humaines et sociales (SHS) qui, d’une manière générale, traitent moins d’environnement littoral, et en particulier d’écosystèmes aquatiques...
International Aid with a Long-term Perspective: Proposed Guidelines for Effective Development through Community Partnerships Based on the Haitian Experience
he attainment of adept international partnership outcomes in the global world — particularly in e... more he attainment of adept international partnership outcomes in the global world — particularly in exacerbated settings such as Haiti — is hampered by a lack of sustainability principles and limited capacity building opportunities, such as institutional development. This is further compounded by the unintended consequences of volunteerism in service provision and inadequate empowerment of local communities. Although volunteerism may provide lower income countries with benefits, there are impending pitfalls. Since this form of assistance is compartmentalized, rather than institutionalized, the capacity building of the society remains isolated. This risks fragmentation when greater cohesion is necessary. The conditions in Haiti call for more strategic partnerships to harness and realize latent development potential. Institutional partnership is an effective methodology for developing pertinent interventions with socially marginalized communities; although implementation is challenging, i...
Ecosystem Services, 2021
Threats to our ocean are climbing both public and political agendas. Marine protected areas (MPAs... more Threats to our ocean are climbing both public and political agendas. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are a promising example of Nature-Based Solutions that can protect diversity while delivering ecosystem services when used with a rigorous evidence-based approach, effective management and the right investment. However, insufficient funding for expansion and effective management of MPAs remains a challenge; one that particularly affects developing countries. During the last ten years, a community of investors seeking positive social and environmental returns in addition to financial, have stepped in to fill the marine conservation financing gap. Innovative governance and financial mechanisms must be explored at all levels to provide adequate, flexible and timely funding for MPA operations. Collaborative management partnerships are proven vehicles through which this challenge can be addressed, by creating a more investable ("bankable") structure around MPAs. The main advantages of these partnerships are to improve entrepreneurial approaches to the management of Protected Areas and, for Governments, to reduce the financial burden on Public Budgets. An innovative and scalable collaborative management approach has been recently implemented in the Dominican Republic for the South East Coral Reef Marine Sanctuary. Blended finance solutions have been used to cover the up-front capital needs and MPA revenues are being generated for MPA management and investor returns, via a range of sustainable finance tools including fees paid by visitors and sales of blue carbon credits. Beyond protecting biodiversity, potential benefits include supporting ocean ecosystems, enhanced resilience to climate change, and providing food and income for local communities by supporting sustainable fisheries and tourism. This approach is expected to be transformative for MPAs, and precedent-setting for marine conservation worldwide. After presenting in detail the context of marine impact investment, the enabling conditions to scale up the Dominican Republic approach is discussed.
Oceans, 2022
Coastal protection, an important coral reef ecosystem service, is threatened by increasing coral ... more Coastal protection, an important coral reef ecosystem service, is threatened by increasing coral mortality, exacerbated by global climate change. Nature-based solutions in the form of coral restoration, while not perfect, can assist in rebuilding reef structure and improving the flow of the service for some sites. With a financing gap existing between what is required for conservation and what is being accessed, private investors should be playing a larger role in such restoration activities. Especially so as coastal hoteliers in particular, benefit from stable beaches and also have additional income generating potential with healthy reefs. Blended finance solutions in particular, are especially suited to restoration that incorporates substrate addition, while payments for ecosystem services are more suited to coral gardening. Conservation and finance practitioners must engage further and understand each other’s worlds, in order for these private sources to be effectively sourced an...
Mechanisms of climate change impacts to marine ecosystem services
A database of mechanisms of climate change impacts to marine ecosystem services based on a scopin... more A database of mechanisms of climate change impacts to marine ecosystem services based on a scoping review of the published literature from 2012-201
Relationships of impacted ocean ecosystem services to SDGs
A matrix of affects of impacted marine ecosystem services across SDG targets. Expert comments and... more A matrix of affects of impacted marine ecosystem services across SDG targets. Expert comments and supporting literature are provided in comment boxes corresponding to specific cells. Certainty categories are also indicated for each relationshi
We also extend our thanks to all the reviewers from across the Pacific who gave up their time to ‘ground truth ’ this report
This report is based on the information collected by hard working scientists, managers, conservat... more This report is based on the information collected by hard working scientists, managers, conservation organisations and non-governmental organisations working tirelessly across the Pacific. We owe a debt of gratitude to those people who have collected information about coral reefs, their use and management. This project has also benefited greatly from the efforts of those who have collected, managed and synthesised a huge range of information so that we could locate and retrieve this information. We say “thank you ” to the authors of the previous synthesis reports and risk assessments, and also to the custodians of this knowledge in libraries and data systems such as ReefBase Pacific and the Pacific Environmental Information Network. We wish to thank the following organisations which have contributed funds so that this report could be produced and
Coral reefs face increasing challenges and their management is not yet adequate to ensure their c... more Coral reefs face increasing challenges and their management is not yet adequate to ensure their conservation. In the South Pacific, as in other parts of the world and for other environmental issues, coral reef ecosystem valuation is seen by many as an essential instrument needing further development. We analysed five economic studies conducted on the management of coral reefs in the Pacific. These studies were conducted in response to specific requests from a diverse list of stakeholders from a range of countries (Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia and Vanuatu); and they used a variety of economic approaches that range from total economic valuation of ecosystem services to ex-post cost-benefit analysis of MPA through economic assessments of impacts. For the South Pacific, our review has demonstrated that three types of ecosystem services constitute the major share of valuated economic benefits: tourism, coastal protection and fisheries. The expected outcomes for these s...
Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system ... more Marine protected areas are a laboratory of integrated coastal management. Driving the MPA system requires the implementation of a battery of indicators of governance. This governance must take into account both the internal dynamics of the system and the threats coming from the system environment. As part of a research project funded by the French Ministry of Ecology, (Liteau program), 4 coral reef MPAs were selected as pilote studies (St Martin in the Caribbean, Reunion and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, the South Lagoon of New Caledonia in Oceania) to develop jointly between scientists and managers of MPAs governance indicators. The approach is definitely bottom up. It is based on the co-construction of indicators. In that way, the views of the scientists who bring their knowledge of governance and ICZM were crossed with the views of MPA managers who bring their field knowledge and specific requests relating to the management of their MPAs. The process was conducted in 5 steps which...
When are payment for ecosystems services suitable for coral reef derived coastal protection?: A review of scientific requirements
Ecosystem Services, 2021
Abstract Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) is an emerging tool intended to solve a range of ec... more Abstract Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) is an emerging tool intended to solve a range of ecosystem management inefficiencies, by linking conservation action to payment. Such schemes have not been tested to our knowledge, for coral reef derived coastal protection, which is a key Ecosystem Service (ES) for many nations bordered by tropical coral reefs. Coral health is deteriorating globally, as are their ES and inadequate finance is identified as a cross cutting factor stymieing management action. In this paper, we assessed the feasibility of PES for coastal protection, with a focus on the scientific requirements. Key PES elements related solely to ecological processes were isolated, the role of coral reefs in protecting beaches reviewed and priority management options for improving reef health synthesized. Outputs indicate that there is adequate scientific knowledge to satisfy a PES. While there is limited ability to prove and quantify causality between management actions and ES delivery, PES criteria can be satisfied with the substitution of a management proxy, rather than payments being conditional on ES measurements. Management, both passive and active, would focus on aintaining reefs that already have a protective function and front stable beaches, above a functioning threshold.
Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2019
This article reviews the state of coral reefs in French Pacific territories in the context of glo... more This article reviews the state of coral reefs in French Pacific territories in the context of global change (especially threats linked to climate change). We first outline the specific local characteristics, vulnerabilities, and threats faced by the coral reefs of New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna. We also emphasize local and other human communities' economic and cultural reliance on coral reefs. Secondly, we discuss the natural and anthropogenic threats facing coral reefs in French Pacific territories, and current ecological responses such as mitigation and adaptation strategies. We conclude by proposing socioeconomic solutions for the Pacific region across varying scales, with a special focus on enforcement measures and socio-political issues.
Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2019
Coral reef preservation is a challenge for the whole of humanity, not just for the estimated thre... more Coral reef preservation is a challenge for the whole of humanity, not just for the estimated three billion people that directly depend upon coral reefs for their livelihoods and food security. Ocean acidification combined with rising sea surface temperatures, and an array of other anthropogenic influences such as pollution, sedimentation, over fishing, and coral mining represent the key threats currently facing coral reef survival. Here we summarize a list of agreements, policies, and socioeconomic tools and instruments that can be used by global, national and local decision-makers to address ocean acidification and associated threats, as identified during an expert workshop in October 2017. We then discuss these tools and instruments at a global level and identify the key tasks for raising decision makers' awareness. Finally, we suggest ways of prioritizing between different actions or tools for mitigation and adaptation.
Ecosystem Services, 2018
Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained... more Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Marine Policy, 2017
Coral reef resource systems are complex adaptive social-ecological systems providing vital and va... more Coral reef resource systems are complex adaptive social-ecological systems providing vital and valuable ecosystem services for human societies such as food provision, coastal protection and recreational activities. Their sustainability is questioned in many places around the world as they experience combined effects of multiple chronic anthropogenic and natural drivers at local to global scales. From a management perspective, there is a crucial need to understand how the impact of these drivers cascade through the social-ecological system components. This study develops a transdisciplinary and participatory approach to investigating the social-ecological dynamics of a Polynesian coral reef coastal system. A preliminary conceptual model using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact (DPSI) framework is first being built through participatory modeling workshops. Then, pressure-state relationships are assessed with the help of empirical datasets as a first step towards the validation of the DPSI model. Results shows striking social-ecological interactions with different patterns in the lagoon and in the fore reef. Local management should be: (1) less resource-focused to account more specifically to the existing typology of actors; (2) more spatially-explicit to better distinguish management objectives and actions for the lagoon and the fore reef subsystems ; and (3) more coordinated with terrestrial agencies for a coherent land-sea connection and integration that would both (i) account for existing land-sea interactions and (ii) better reflect the Polynesian cultural heritage that considers nature from ridge to reef as a whole. Such conceptual models of social-ecological systems are a useful tool to build exploratory scenarios to ultimately support planning decision-making processes.
Ecosystem Services, 2016
The identification and economic valuation of ecosystem services (ES) are becoming important compo... more The identification and economic valuation of ecosystem services (ES) are becoming important components of coral reef management. In many contexts, protection of human assets against coastal floods is one of the most important ES provided by coral reefs. The methods utilized to characterize this ES should be able to accommodate situations with low data availability, without sacrificing robustness. In this paper, we suggest such an approach that utilizes expert opinion and does not require copious amounts of data. Our primary objective is to find a balance between simple and complex models that can be used in a data scarce environment, to produce an economic valuation of the coral reef ES of protection against coastal floods. The approach has three steps: (i) identify geographic zones and assets at risk, (ii) identify the contributing role of coral reefs in the protection of coasts and, (iii) value the annual repair costs of assets through the avoided damage cost approach. The proposed method seems appropriate for advocacy with policy makers, but appears to be less effective for small scale approaches, such as those required for Payment for ES negotiations or marine spatial planning.
services they provide to humans (see Box 1). This article defended the idea that every ecosystem ... more services they provide to humans (see Box 1). This article defended the idea that every ecosystem can be divided up into its various components and services, each of whose value can be estimated on the basis of the data provided by the many different studies that describe and quantify biological functions, before shifting over to the economic domain. These values, divided on the basis of "use values" and "non-use values", range from the most tangible such as the price that can be gained from selling all or part of a natural asset to the most abstract such as the value attributed to the continued existence of that asset for the enjoyment of future generations (herit-age or bequest value). The cumulative sum of all those values leads to the concept of "total economic value" (TEV), which obviously can be applied to sharks (Fig. 1). This TEV concept is far from perfect conceptually (see Box 2), but it has the merit of making it possible to grasp the diverse ...
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2015
Non-use values (i.e. economic values assigned by individuals to ecosystem goods and services unre... more Non-use values (i.e. economic values assigned by individuals to ecosystem goods and services unrelated to current or future uses) provide one of the most compelling incentives for the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. Assessing the non-use values of non-users is relatively straightforward using stated preference methods, but the standard approaches for estimating non-use values of users (stated decomposition) have substantial shortcomings which undermine the robustness of their results. In this paper, we propose a pragmatic interpretation of non-use values to derive estimates that capture their main dimensions, based on the identification of a willingness to pay for ecosystem protection beyond one's expected life. We empirically test our approach using a choice experiment conducted on coral reef ecosystem protection in two coastal areas in New Caledonia with different institutional, cultural, environmental and socioeconomic contexts. We compute individual willingness to pay estimates, and derive individual non-use value estimates using our interpretation. We find that, a minima, estimates of non-use values may comprise between 25 and 40% of the mean willingness to pay for ecosystem preservation, less than has been found in most studies. Highlights ► We propose a pragmatic economic interpretation of non-use values based on time decay. ► We conduct an empirical application using choice experiments in two coral reef areas. ► We compute implicitly "a minima" individual estimates of non-use values for users. ► These estimates of non-use values may comprise between 25 and 40% of mean willingness to pay. Please note that this is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available on the publisher Web site.
If the role of MPAs as a conservation tool is now widely demonstrated even with some variability,... more If the role of MPAs as a conservation tool is now widely demonstrated even with some variability, their effects on fishery yields, tourism revenues and social aspects are only confirmed by very few studies. More than 550 MPA now exist in the South Pacific mostly community based managedand the expectations on their ecological and socio-economic effects are high. A study based on a control-impact approach has been conducted in Vanuatu (South Pacific) to evaluate the effects of MPA for the local and global community. 3 sites with well established MPAs and their respective control sites have been selected with a similar ecological habitat but with different fishing pressure, tourism development and level of subsistence economy. The most direct effects of MPA on the coral reef fisheries cpue and yields and on the site attractiveness for the tourism industry have been assessed. Other impacts on the social capital bridging and bonding-and governance of local communities were identified too. At a different scale, the benefits in the form of avoided cost for government as well as the attributes of world heritage conservation were considered. Most of these effects were quantified from observed data and as far as possible valued with a bio-economic approach with a special focus on the fishery assessment. The results showed variability in the outcomes between the sites. Some of them present small quantifiable benefits on fishery or tourism and reveal an imbalance between local and global beneficiaries, questioning the future of the MPA. The limits of the western economic approach in the Melanesian cultural context were outlined.
Prospective écologie tropicale