Enabling Indigenous innovations to re-centre social licence to operate in the Blue Economy

Assessing the viability of Stakeholders’ Engagement in Marine Spatial Planning and its Implications for a Sustainable Blue Economy

“…Through the BE, there are high possibilities that can bene t from MSP by promoting sustainable and equitable use of ocean resources, thus enhancing marine space peace and stability, e.g., in the Baltic Sea [64]. For SIDS, e.g., Seychelles, the study could aid in developing a participatory but critical and re exive approach to the blue economy and ocean governance, which takes into account the social, cultural, and political dimensions of these issues [20], [63], [97] via the recognition and management of the ecological complexity of coastal ecosystems that help to mitigate the impacts of climate change, reduce the risk of coastal ooding and pollution and promote sustainability in the management of ocean resources [86], [90] as well as the incorporation of indigenous and local knowledge into the planning process, which can improve the accuracy and relevance of the resulting plans and support the sustainable use of ocean resources [29], [49], [88], [95].…”

“…This is because MSP has the potential to balance the competing interests of marine resource users while ensuring biodiversity management [11], [44]. In other words, MSP is core to the attainment of sustainability goals related to social equity, e.g., via the preservation of vulnerable cultural resources, especially for indigenous peoples, e.g., in Tasmania [10], [43] and citizens science [42] or citizen engagement [46]; biodiversity conservation and management, e.g., for migratory species in the ABNJ [25]; participatory sheries governance, e.g., of octopus in Indonesia [47], [48]; and harnessing of the economic potential of the BE, e.g., related to inclusivity in marine resource harvesting and access among indigenous communities via the development of robust inclusion initiatives, e.g., the Indigenous peoples-centered Social License to Operate (SLO) approach in Australia and Canada, which aligns with indigenous values, ancestral rights, and interests [48], [49]. A study by Axon and Collier [29] clearly underscores the need for MSP by arguing that the tool ensures that marine resources and activities are managed equitably, transparently, and participatory, taking into consideration all stakeholders' perspectives and needs, including coastal peoples, indigenous groups, and other relevant sectors.…”

“…Other national stakeholders include National Ministries, e.g., for Finance [11]; Departments and Agencies (MDAs) [64], [80], [81]; coastal urban planners [46]; and national/regional scienti c institutions [90], e.g., the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) for the Pan Baltic Scope project [24]. Considerations should also be given to regional indigenous peoples and local community (IPLC) organizations [91], e.g., Aboriginal groups in Australia, New Zealand and Canada [49].…”

“…The previously mentioned factors, such as the number of groups included and the number of participants/representatives from each group, result in four basic process categories, each with advantages and disadvantages (Table 1). A greater number of stakeholder groups involved will likely lead to greater representation of the issues, and it should be feasible to address them all during the process [49]. Nevertheless, having more groups can lead to practical issues [91], such as making meeting scheduling more challenging, increasing costs (e.g., logistical support), increasing idea variability, and possibly creating a less structured and orderly process.…”

Renewable Energies and Blue Economy: New Trends in Global Research

“…On the other hand, Machado explores the implications of offshore wind development in the areas of tourism and coastal recreation. The authors also discuss the need for a more inclusive and equitable approach to the blue economy, as explained by Lyons [66] and Gerhardinger [67]. Other topics covered are the measurement and regulation of biased technological progress, the greening of the blue economy and the assessment of the blue economy sectors' impact on the environment [32,68,69].…”