Assessing and improving social equity in marine conservation: background, methods and guidance on three approaches
Social equity is increasingly recognised as a fundamental principle in marine conservation. Global conservation policies now contain commitments to equitable management and governance, yet practical guidance on how to understand and assess equity in marine conservation remains limited. In this methodological paper, we introduce our process for developing three conceptually grounded, practical and adaptable approaches for assessing equity in marine conservation: (1) a rapid equity assessment, (2) a stakeholders and rightsholders equity assessment, and (3) a co-produced and customised equity assessment. All three approaches emphasise the assessment process as part of an ongoing learning journey that requires continuous reflection and adaptive actions to improve social equity. The discussion identifies practical lessons and key considerations for choosing, preparing and carrying out equity assessments and for moving from assessment to action to improve social equity in marine conservation.
Authors
- Gerald G. Singh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4333-1988)
- Nathan James Bennett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4852-3401)
- Samiya Ahmed Selim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3916-215X)
- Priscila F. M. Lopes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6774-5117)
- Juno Fitzpatrick
- Ella-Kari Muhl
- Phil Franks
- Sebastián Villasante (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6296-4479)
- Shauna L. Mahajan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1726-3117)
- Joachim Claudet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6295-1061)
- Katina Roumbedakis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5692-0725)
- Elena M. Finkbeiner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3586-3677)
- Georgina G. Gurney (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4884-7468)
- Jacqueline Lau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0403-8423)
- David Gill (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7550-1761)
- Neil Dawson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7312-9230)
- Jessica L. Blythe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7604-6046)
- Kira Sullivan-Wiley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4704-3625)
- Mia Strand (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8642-1572)
- Mark Andrachuk (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3427-1373)
- Stacy D. Jupiter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9742-1677)
- Timur Jack-Kadıoğlu
- Josheena Naggae
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Pew Charitable Trusts (US)
- United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (TH)
- University of Waterloo (CA)
- Duke University (US)
- Brock University (CA)
- International Institute for Environment and Development (GB)
- University of California System (US)
- University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (BD)
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (BR)
- Arcus Foundation (GB)
- World Wildlife Fund (US)
- Wildlife Conservation Society United Kingdom (GB)
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX)
- James Cook University (AU)
- Stanford University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PARKS
- Published
- 2025-12-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2305/rcbs3096
- Primary Topic
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- WWF International