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Löhr A, Broers V, Tabuenca B, Savelli H, Zwimpfer T, Folbert M, Brouns F. Informing and inspiring worldwide action against marine litter - The impact of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Marine Litter. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115811. [PMID: 38101056 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Marine litter and plastic pollution are growing environmental problems that require sustainable actions from a wide range of stakeholders. To achieve effective solutions, stakeholders need good knowledge and opportunities for active engagement. To encourage leadership and provide these opportunities, we have developed an action-, and change-oriented Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Marine Litter. After five years of running the MOOC, we assessed the impact of the MOOC through an online questionnaire among participants. The results showed significant impact and global reach. Respondents from all over the world reported that they used the information of the MOOC in their careers, volunteer work and personal lives. The results underscore the importance of environmental education to inform and inspire stakeholders. Educational activities should respond to participants' motivations by using activating learning forms and illustrative examples. The MOOC inspired participants to take informed action, engage others, expand their networks, and create real change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansje Löhr
- Open Universiteit, Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 2960, NL-6401 DL Heerlen, the Netherlands.
| | - Valérie Broers
- Open Universiteit, Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 2960, NL-6401 DL Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - Bernardo Tabuenca
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETS Sistemas Informáticos, Calle Alan Turing sn, 28031 Madrid, Spain
| | - Heidi Savelli
- United Nations Environment Programme, Ecosystems Division, Marine and Freshwater Branch, P.O.Box 30552-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Tabea Zwimpfer
- United Nations Environment Programme, Ecosystems Division, Marine and Freshwater Branch, P.O.Box 30552-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Maartje Folbert
- Open Universiteit, Faculty of Science, Department of Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 2960, NL-6401 DL Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - Francis Brouns
- Open Universiteit, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Technology Enhanced Learning and Innovation, P.O. Box 2960, 6401 DL Heerlen, the Netherlands
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Takyi R, El Mahrad B, Addo C, Essandoh J, ElHadary M, Adade R, Buadi EJ, Botwe BO, Nunoo FKE. Assessment of coastal and marine ecosystems in West Africa: The case of Ghana. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115735. [PMID: 37924736 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Coastal and marine ecosystems, as integral component of social, ecological, and economic systems, are critical in providing essential ecosystem services that underpin human activities, including fishing and mining. Effective management of these ecosystems is paramount to safeguarding their vital contributions. This study adopts a socio-ecological framework, "Drivers (D) of human activities (A), associated Pressures (P), State change in coastal and marine environments, Impact (I) on human welfare (W) and Response (R) as measures (M) of management, (DAPSI(W)R(M))," to analyse the complexities of coastal and marine ecosystems in the Ghanaian context. The study identifies various drivers of anthropogenic activities, such as fishing, oil and gas production, and waste disposal. These anthropogenic activities create significant pressures, including selective extraction of living and non-living resources, as well as habitat degradation through substratum loss and pollution. Consequently, these pressures have led to changes in fish biomass and habitat quality, among other ecological shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Takyi
- Blue Resources Research and Policy Institute, Box L534 Mallam, Greater Accra, Ghana; Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
| | - Badr El Mahrad
- Murray Foundation, Brabners LLP, Horton House, Exchange Street, Liverpool L2 3YL, UK; Laboratory of Geoscience, Water and Environment, (LG2E-CERNE2D), Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University of Rabat, Rabat 10000, Morocco; CIMA, FCT-Gambelas Campus, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Cynthia Addo
- Fisheries Committee for the West-Central Gulf of Guinea, Tema, Ghana
| | - John Essandoh
- Department of Conservation Biology and Entomology, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Mohamed ElHadary
- CIMA, FCT-Gambelas Campus, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, 48123 Ravenna, Italy; Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza 12578, Egypt
| | - Richard Adade
- Centre for Coastal Management-African Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Benjamin Osei Botwe
- Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
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Andriolo U, Gonçalves G. The octopus pot on the North Atlantic Iberian coast: A plague of plastic on beaches and dunes. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 192:115099. [PMID: 37267867 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This baseline focuses on the octopus pot, a litter item found on the North Atlantic Iberian coast. Octopus pots are deployed from vessels in ropes, with several hundred units, and placed on the seabed, to capture mostly Octopus Vulgaris. The loss of gears due to extreme seas state, bad weather and/or fishing-related unforeseen circumstances, cause the octopus pots contaminating beaches and dunes, where they are transported by sea current, waves and wind actions. This work i) gives an overview of the use of octopus pot on fisheries, ii) analyses the spatial distribution of this item on the coast, and iii) discusses the potential measures for tackling the octopus pot plague on the North Atlantic Iberian coast. Overall, it is urgent to promote conducive policies and strategies for a sustainable waste management of octopus pots, based on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle hierarchical framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto Andriolo
- INESC Coimbra, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Polo 2, 3030 - 290 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Gil Gonçalves
- INESC Coimbra, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Polo 2, 3030 - 290 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Department of Mathematics, Coimbra, Portugal.
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Praet E, Baeza-Álvarez J, De Veer D, Holtmann-Ahumada G, Jones JS, Langford S, Dearte JM, Schofield J, Thiel M, Wyles KJ. Bottle with a message: The role of story writing as an engagement tool to explore children's perceptions of marine plastic litter. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 186:114457. [PMID: 36525759 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
As human behaviors play a crucial role in addressing the global threat of plastic pollution, it is vital to understand perceptions about marine plastic litter (MPL) and to develop interventions encouraging pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs). This study evaluates story writing as a window to explore perceptions and as an engagement activity to boost PEBs. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, schoolchildren from the East Pacific coast participated in this activity, each creating a story and answering a pre-post survey. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of 81 stories and 79 surveys show awareness of sources and impacts. Participants identified land and local pollution as significant contributors to MPL and emphasized bio-ecological impacts, reflecting concern for landscape and wildlife. While the stories presented a diversity of solutions, recycling dominated the surveys. As participants reported an increase in self-assessed knowledge and improved PEBs after this activity, it can be seen as an engagement tool to encourage behavior change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Praet
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| | - Jostein Baeza-Álvarez
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Diamela De Veer
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
| | | | - Jen S Jones
- Galapagos Conservation Trust, London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Sarah Langford
- Galapagos Conservation Trust, London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | | | - John Schofield
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Martin Thiel
- Facultad Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Millennium Nucleus Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Island (ESMOI), Coquimbo, Chile; Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Kayleigh J Wyles
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Mutuku J, Yanotti M, Tinch D, Hatton MacDonald D. Willingness to pay for cleaning up beach litter: A meta-analysis. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114220. [PMID: 36302309 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
At the global level, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 14 calls for action to significantly reduce marine litter pollution by 2025. To understand the non-market benefits of removing marine litter, researchers have conducted numerous studies on Willingness to Pay (WTP) for reductions in beach litter. This paper estimates the overall effect size of WTP for a worldwide dataset of 63 primary studies over 22 years by applying a meta-regression technique to assess the variability in WTP estimates. The results show an annual mean effect size of $US0.71 (or $US35.29) per person for a 1 % (for a corresponding 50 %) reduction in all types of beach litter. The observed heterogeneity is associated with WTP elicitation methods, beach attributes, geographic locations, and per-capita income. This study yields valuable information for policy makers to develop cost-effective policies and recommends standardised measurements to benchmark changes in marine litter pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Mutuku
- Tasmanian School of Business & Economics, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Maria Yanotti
- Tasmanian School of Business & Economics, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Dugald Tinch
- Tasmanian School of Business & Economics, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia; Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Darla Hatton MacDonald
- Tasmanian School of Business & Economics, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia; Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Australia.
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