Addressing Human Dimensions within the criteria for conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar Wetlands

Abstract

Wetlands are unique ecosystems that provide many direct and indirect services to the human population. Several policy frameworks have been developed and implemented at various levels of government worldwide to address the social, environmental and economic consequences of the loss of wetland services. These frameworks have varying degrees of flexibility to balance the need to protect remaining wetlands and pursue economic development. Therefore, this research addresses the importance of considering human dimension criteria on the International Conservation and Wetlands Ramsar Site to encourage local policy maker to understand the binding effect of decision-making and governance of wetlands in their countries on local coastal community and international socio-economy for sustainable wetland and increase of livelihood of dependence community. The finding of this research addresses the importance of human relations with wetlands sustainability and community economic survival. It suggests the importance of considering the human dimension in the International Wetland Ramsar Site based on the findings in this research. This research analyzes pathways of vulnerability resulting from mismanagement and the effect of policies and governance; in general, and the case study area of the Chilika Lagoon, the largest coastal Lagoon on the east coast of India and the lifeline of the state of Odisha as an example to show the importance of addressing human dimension and its effect on survival of local and international wetland. This research examines and analyses the critical elements of the social well-being of coastal communities and reviews the ecosystem services of wetlands suggested on the Ramsar Site and other academic works of literature to make a linkage between the two elements and the direct and indirect impacts of natural and anthropogenic factors that have profoundly affected the vulnerable coastal community’s socio-economy and wetland sustainability and survival. Overall, the research addresses the sustainable management of coastal communities of SSFs by providing details on how fisher vulnerability may be closely linked to wetland management and governance and its related impacts. Further, the research provides some answers to how SSF viability can be achieved through coping and adaptive responses by small-scale fishing communities to the changes in local and international wetland management. The results of this thesis indicated that improving the social well-being of coastal communities could provide valuable insights to achieve improved control of food and fisheries resources. The result of this study will imply the importance of addressing Human Dimension criteria on the International Ramsar Site as one of the essential criteria next to the nine ecological base criteria on the Site to suggest more sustainable wetlands on the local and international level and improve the socio-economy of the costa community as they are connected.