O'Beolain, Conor (2021) The socio-cultural perspectives of seagrass as a climate mitigation measure in Ireland and Germany. (Master thesis), University College Dublin and Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Dublin, Ireland, 30 pp.

Text Conor-Ó-Beoláin_Thesis_FINAL.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Available under License German copyright act UrhG. Download (589kB) | Contact

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems play an important role in effects of climate change, sequestering a minimum of 136 000 tonnes of carbon in long-term storage annually (Wolanski and McLusky, 2011). However, the latest report of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reveals that less than 30% of countries include coastal ecosystems in their strategies for dealing with climate change. Seagrass is a marine plant providing a suite of ecosystem services for ecology and society. It is represented in for example, the Habitats Directive, but is given much less attention in practice. This paper analyses the public awareness, perception, and acceptance of the general public in both Ireland and Germany, as they relate to the coastal ecosystem of seagrass as a ‘blue carbon’ resource. In order to quantify these three constructs in the two countries, an online survey was employed to gather responses (n(Ireland) = 182, n(Germany) = 202). Results were analysed considering a variety of demographic items, such as gender, age, distance of respondent to the coastline, work/study sector, and education. As well as analysing individual questions, means of each construct were scrutinised for each country. Education and age were found to have a significant positive effect on mean awareness and perception in both countries, while mean perception in Ireland was higher than Germany. Overall, respondent distance to the coastline did not have a significant effect on any of the three constructs. Results provide fundamental data relevant to strengthening the socio-cultural evidence base necessary for informing policy and management options for seagrass restoration and conservation, especially in Ireland where it is lacking in practice. There was no significant difference between the mean awareness, perception, and acceptance of both Ireland and Germany. This body of research finds that there would be no public opposition to seagrass implementation, and in other socially, demographically, and geographically comparable countries.

Actions (login required)

View Item