Management of marine oil spills: A case study of the Wakashio oil spill in Mauritius using a lens-actor-focus conceptual framework

Hebbar, Anish Arvind; Dharmasiri, Ishara Gihan

doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2022.106103

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…When such environmental disasters occur in vulnerable, small island nations, it also emphasizes critical global power imbalances (Naggea and Miller, in press). Small island nations like Mauritius, which have neither an oil industry nor a history of oil spills, tend to rely on external expertise for such low frequency-high risk disasters (Hebbar and Dharmasiri, 2022). Moreover, while the negative social, economic, and ecological impacts from an oil spill are instant, reparations may take months to years, if ever, to be fulfilled (Naggea and Miller, in press).…”

Section: Non-renewable and Renewable Resource Extractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blue justice: A review of emerging scholarship and resistance movements

Blythe

Gill²,

Claudet³

et al. 2023

Camb. prisms Coast. futures

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Coastal communities, Indigenous peoples, and small-scale fishers are intimately connected with the ocean. Yet, these historically and structurally marginalized groups often bear a disproportionate distribution of coastal and marine harms, and are culturally and politically excluded from marine decision-making. In response, calls for blue justice are emerging. Here, we review key perspectives, new developments, and gaps in the emerging blue justice scholarship. We also synthesize existing case studies of blue injustices and review some of the many successful examples of grassroots resistance efforts to help define what blue justice entails. We aim to help centre the knowledge, strength, and agency of coastal communities responding to blue injustice. Ultimately, concerted efforts are needed by all to support and empower coastal communities to reject blue injustices and to achieve their diverse aspirations for blue justice.

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Section: Non-renewable and Renewable Resource Extractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blue justice: A review of emerging scholarship and resistance movements

Blythe

Gill²,

Claudet³

et al. 2023

Camb. prisms Coast. futures

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Vulnerable countries such as Mauritius that rely on external experts during environmental crises may lack the logistical capacity and institutional knowledge to manage low-frequency, high-risk disasters like oil spills by themselves. Such roadblocks and constraints are ubiquitous in small island developing states like Mauritius (Hebbar and Dharmasiri 2022), which further exacerbate the environmental injustices that compounding disasters create for vulnerable nations. Such practices may also inhibit social learning after these disasters.…”

Section: Environmental Justice Challenges and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, although there have been several experiences gained in oil spill preparedness during the pandemic, shared through networks such as the Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) dashboard (https://www. oilspillresponse.com/readiness-dashboard/), there is minimal research examining the compounding responses to both oil spills and the COVID-19 pandemic (Hebbar and Dharmasiri 2022). By contrast, emerging research reveals compounding challenges for crisis management for hurricanes, extreme heat, war, and wildfires during the ongoing pandemic (Martinez et al 2020, Collins et al 2021, Harutyunyan et al 2021, Hutton et al 2021, Thompson et al 2021.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparative case study of multistakeholder responses following oil spills in Pointe d’Esny, Mauritius, and Huntington Beach, California

Naggea¹,

Miller²

2023

E&S

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Oil spills generate negative ecological, societal, economic, and public health impacts, and require rapid response to contain and mitigate damages. Prompt and effective emergency management of acute events like oil spills is highly dependent on the social, institutional, and ecological context. In August 2020, the wreckage of the MV Wakashio spilled 1000 tonnes of fuel oil along an ecologically sensitive coastline in Pointe d'Esny, Mauritius. In October 2021, an offshore pipeline split and released 78 tonnes of crude oil off the coast of Huntington Beach in California. We compare responses among three sets of stakeholders (government, nongovernmental organizations, and local residents) during the first 10 days of both oil spills, which also occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Mauritius, unfavorable weather conditions and COVID-19-related border closures that delayed international support impeded government action, creating a leadership and trust vacuum among residents regarding the immediate cleanup response. This perceived gap was subsequently complemented by NGOs coordinating improvised artisanal boom production and local volunteer cleanup efforts, with limited protection or public health training. By contrast, prompt state and local government intervention in Huntington Beach created a clear chain of command with NGOs and residents deferring to official guidance. In both cases, the oil spills created new policy opportunities to improve emergency management plans and reduce future risks. Our results demonstrate the influence of prior local expertise in managing earlier disasters and resources on governmental and organizational capacity. Incorporating and ensuring on-the-ground disaster expertise in response activities improves government-led crisis response, subsequently protecting ecosystems and residents. Effective multi-level crisis response helps address a range of environmental and social justice concerns related to negative impacts of spills on local communities. Our study discusses how learnings from disaster management can reinforce socialecological resilience in coastal communities dealing with increasing anthropogenic stressors.

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“…In the case of Mindoro Oil Spill, the Philippine government is applying a whole-of-government approach with the collaborative efforts of different government agencies like OCD, PCG, DENR, DSWD, and LGUs, the academe, and with the help of international experts from several countries such as Japan, France, the United Kingdom, United States, and South Korea (PCO 2023). Since not every country would have expertise in all elds, an international exchange of professional, regardless of whether it is done bilaterally or with UN assistance, provides sustainable institutional and nancial arrangements for maintaining oil spill response capacity and facilitate the mobilization of equipment and expertise in the event of an emergency (Hebbar & Dharmasiri 2022).…”

Section: Implications On Environmental Management and Disaster Risk R...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Immediate Socio-Economic Impacts of Mindoro Oil Spill to Fisherfolk in Naujan, Philippines

Agaton

Guno²,

Labog³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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In February 2023, an oil tanker carrying 5660 bbl. of industrial fuel oil sank off Naujan in the Philippines causing an oil spill in the waters of Oriental Mindoro and nearby provinces. The disaster affected fishing communities as well as marine ecosystems including the Verde Island Passage, which is at the "center of the center of world's marine biodiversity". This study assesses the immediate social and economic impacts of this oil spill on various communities of Naujan coast. We conducted semi-structured interviews and employed a narrative analysis to explore the lived experiences of the fisherfolk on the oil spill and to understand its socio-economic impacts. With the prohibition of fishing and other aquatic activities, participants lost up to USD 1300 of income per week from fishing. The participants had no other source of income due to the lack of other skills or the opportunity for alternative livelihood in the community. While the government provided food packs and financial assistance, participants found these insufficient to sustain the basic family needs including food, utilities, education, and health. Traces of oil were also found in the sources of potable water affecting their daily household activities. The fisherfolk, which are communities vulnerable to natural and man-made hazards, had their subsistence, food security, and human well-being highly compromised. The findings provided recommendations for government interventions to mitigate the impacts of an oil spill and other future disasters, considering social, economic, and human ecological perspectives.

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Management of marine oil spills: A case study of the Wakashio oil spill in Mauritius using a lens-actor-focus conceptual framework

Cited by 14 publications

References 5 publications

Blue justice: A review of emerging scholarship and resistance movements

Blue justice: A review of emerging scholarship and resistance movements

A comparative case study of multistakeholder responses following oil spills in Pointe d’Esny, Mauritius, and Huntington Beach, California

Immediate Socio-Economic Impacts of Mindoro Oil Spill to Fisherfolk in Naujan, Philippines

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