Marine biodiversity in the Caribbean UK overseas territories: Perceived threats and constraints to environmental management

Forster, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6729-9965, Lake, I. R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4407-5357, Watkinson, A. R. and Gill, J. A. (2011) Marine biodiversity in the Caribbean UK overseas territories: Perceived threats and constraints to environmental management. Marine Policy, 35 (5). pp. 647-657. ISSN 1872-9460

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Abstract

Islands are often considered to be a priority for conservation, because of their relatively high levels of biodiversity and their vulnerability to a range of natural and anthropogenic threats. However, the capacity of islands to conserve and manage biodiversity may depend upon their governance structures. Many island states are affiliated to other countries through an 'overseas territory' status, which may provide them with access to resources and support mechanisms, but which may also influence the capacity for local-scale management of environmental issues. The United Kingdom has 12 island Overseas Territories (UKOTs), most of which support biodiversity of high conservation concern. This study investigates perceptions of current and future threats to marine ecosystems and constraints to environmental protection on the six Caribbean UKOTs, through semi-structured interviews with officials from UK and UKOT government departments and non-governmental organisations. Coastal development, pollution and over-fishing were perceived as threats of most concern for the next decade, but climate change was perceived as by far the greatest future threat to the islands' marine ecosystems. However, a series of common institutional limitations that currently constrain mitigation and conservation efforts were also identified, including insufficient personnel and financial support, a lack of long-term, sustainable projects for persistent environmental problems and inadequate environmental legislation. These findings highlight the need for regional cooperation and capacity-building throughout the Caribbean and a more concerted approach to an UKOT environmental management by the UK and UKOTs' governments. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	marine management,management constraints,uk overseas territories,perceptions,marine biodiversity threats,climate change,climate-change,coral-reefs,impacts,conservation,island,states,sdg 13 - climate action,sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Global Environmental Justice University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Social Sciences Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Collaborative Centre for Sustainable Use of the Seas Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Water Security Research Centre Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Marine Knowledge Exchange Network
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	17 Mar 2011 10:35
Last Modified:	15 May 2023 00:06
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/26464
DOI:	10.1016/j.marpol.2011.02.005

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