The global rush to develop the 'blue economy' risks harming both the marine environment and human wellbeing. Proactive, systematic and bold policies and actions are urgently required to chart an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable course for the blue economy.Concerns about the state of the world's oceans are widespread 1,2 . At the same time, interest in their untapped economic potential is escalating. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) projects that the contribution of the ocean to global GDP could double from US$1.5 trillion in 2010 to US$3 trillion by 2030 3 . Ocean sectors, including fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, bio-prospecting, seabed mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, and shipping, are heralded by numerous actors and nations as lucrative frontiers for investment. The 'blue economy' -a term that encapsulates international interest in the growth of ocean-based economic development -has been a central theme in numerous recent global ocean policy conferences 4,5 .
After generations of fire-suppression policy, Indigenous fire management (IFM) is being reactivated as one way to mitigate wildfire in fire-prone ecosystems. Research has documented that IFM also mitigates carbon emissions, improves livelihoods and enhances well-being among participants. This study documents the goals of the Yunesit’in and Xeni Gwet’in First Nations as they develop a fire management program in central British Columbia, Canada. Drawing on goal setting theory and interviews, a qualitative coding and cluster analysis identified three general goals from fire management: (1) strengthen cultural connection and well-being, (2) restore the health of the land and (3) respect traditional laws. Sub-goals included enhancing community member health and well-being, improving fire management practices to maintain ‘pyrodiversity’ and food security and re-empowering Indigenous laws and practices. This community-developed framework will guide program evaluation and brings insight to a theory of IFM.
An “ethical space” approach is conceptualized as one way to balance asymmetrical power and respectfully engage diverse worldviews in Indigenous‐conservation partnerships. However, published literature offers little insight into how ethical space is implemented in practice. Using a literature review and interviews, we identify two key traits and two sub‐traits of creating ethical space: engagement, and the two sub‐traits of dialogic processes and principles, and the trait of introspection and reflection. Engagement involves interactions between Indigenous peoples and conservation organizations, often through dialogic processes to build learning and trust. Principle‐based engagement must focus on empowering Indigenous ownership over conservation work. Creating a space for introspection and reflection can deconstruct colonial hierarchies and unequal power dynamics and allow Indigenous‐led approaches to take root.
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