Prof Mark Huxham M.Huxham@napier.ac.uk
Professor
Rawls in the mangrove: perceptions of justice in nature-based solutions projects (Dataset)
Huxham, Mark
Authors
Abstract
1. Adapting to and mitigating against climate change requires the protection and expansion of natural carbon sinks, especially ecosystems with exceptional carbon density such as mangrove forests (an example of ‘blue carbon’). Projects that do this are called ‘nature-based solutions’ (NbS).
2. International norms regulating NbS stipulate the importance of justice, in contrast with some of the history and practice in wider conservation. However, what justice means and how it manifests in practice remain contentious.
3. Selling carbon credits on the voluntary market is a growing source of funding for NbS. A large literature examines the ethics, economics, science and politics of such payments for ecosystem services (PES), including for blue carbon. The interpretations of justice in this context are particularly contentious, but operational blue carbon projects have not been examined from a justice perspective.
4. Here we report on a case study involving the first blue carbon project, Mikoko Pamoja, and its sister project Vanga Blue Forest, both based in Kenya. We consider how justice is conceived by local participants and beneficiaries, using interviews, focus groups and participant observation to collect data, as well as by international stakeholders and in relevant governing documents and policy. We compare these perceptions with expectations and critiques derived a priori from the literature, including a classic thought experiment that influential justice philosopher John Rawls called the ‘original position’.
5. In contrast to high level policy and much of the literature, but in common with Rawls, local stakeholders emphasised distributional aspects of justice. Locally situated interpretations of contentious issues such as elite capture and commodification differed markedly from common interpretations in the literature.
6. Our work emphasises the importance of situating abstract concepts in their local contexts when evaluating justice in NbS projects. It shows how narratives advocating technical precision and economic efficiency in NbS can militate against transparency and agency at a local level and emphasises the critical importance of benefit sharing that is perceived to be fair.
Citation
Huxham, M. (2023). Rawls in the mangrove: perceptions of justice in nature-based solutions projects (Dataset). [Dataset]. https://doi.org/10.17869/ENU.2023.3090209
Acceptance Date | Apr 27, 2023 |
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Online Publication Date | May 26, 2023 |
Publication Date | May 26, 2023 |
Deposit Date | May 5, 2023 |
Publicly Available Date | May 5, 2023 |
Publisher | Wiley |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.17869/ENU.2023.3090209 |
Keywords | Blue carbon, climate change, community, distribution, empirical justice, offsetting. |
Type of Data | interview transcripts |
Collection Date | May 1, 2020 |
Collection Method | Focus groups and interviews |
Files
Vanga VBF Committee Men-analysed
(73 Kb)
Document
Vanga Community Member Vumilia Nguvu Kazi Kiwegu-analysed
(34 Kb)
Document
Vanga VBF Committee Member Jimbo Follow Up-ANALYSED
(22 Kb)
Document
COMMITTEE MEMBERS COMMITTEE MEN-analysed
(60 Kb)
Document
COMMUNITY MEMBER FOLLOW UP 1-ANALYSED.1
(36 Kb)
Document
GAZI COMMITTEE WOMEN FGD Part 1- Analysed
(17 Kb)
Document
Gazi Community Men - Analysed
(77 Kb)
Document
Gazi Follow Up Executive Member-analysed
(24 Kb)
Document
Gazi Mp Committee Member Follow Up-analysed
(36 Kb)
Document
SSD OFFICER INTERVIEW-analysed
(31 Kb)
Document
Usawa Community Full Women FGD TRANSCRIPTION Analysed Draft
(59 Kb)
Document
Vanga Community Member Follow Up Group-woman-ANALYSED
(22 Kb)
Document
Vanga VBF Committee Women-analysed
(64 Kb)
Document
Related Outputs
Rawls in the mangrove: Perceptions of justice in nature‐based solutions projects
(2023)
Journal Article
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