1. Public perceptions of the Channel Ecosystem
Angela Carpenter1,2, Rebecca Shellock3, Steve Fletcher1,4 & Gillian Glegg1 1 Centre for Marine and Coastal Policy Research (MarCoPol) Plymouth University
2 School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds.
3 Plymouth Marine Laboratory
4 UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP WCMC)
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2. PEGASEAS Project
Promoting Effective Governance of the Channel Ecosystem (PEGASEAS).
Project duration:
Aim of project: to provide clear, powerful, communicable advice to support improved governance of the Channel Ecosystem.
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3. Project partners and funders
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5. PEGASEAS Project Work Package 3.4 - Public perceptions survey.
This research was intended to provide recommendations and identify future challenges for the INTERREG V Programme.
There is a lack of assessment of how the public use the Channel, improved information will help to underpin our evidence base on how the public engage with the marine and coastal environment.
(2) Public support is highly influential in determining the success of management, planning and conservation in the Channel region. Understanding the public’s views on future priorities for the governance of the Channel will enable national and local authorities to make informed decisions on future funding priorities and management.
(3) There is a lack of information on how actively the Channel community engage in pro- environmental behaviours, behaviours that consciously seek to minimise impact on the environment. This knowledge will assist in developing and targeting future educational and awareness strategies
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6. Aim of PEGASEAS Survey
To improve our understanding of the public priorities for the Channel Ecosystem.
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7. Limited understanding of:
The public’s use of the Channel (England and France).
The public’s perception of the Channel’s marine and coastal environment and the current governance system.
The Channel community engagement in behaviours that consciously seek to minimise impact on the environment (pro-environmental behaviours)
There is a lack of assessment of how the public use the Channel, improved information will help to underpin our evidence base on how the public engage with the marine and coastal environment.
(2) Public support is highly influential in determining the success of management, planning and conservation in the Channel region. Understanding the public’s views on future priorities for the governance of the Channel will enable national and local authorities to make informed decisions on future funding priorities and management.
(3) There is a lack of information on how actively the Channel community engage in pro- environmental behaviours, behaviours that consciously seek to minimise impact on the environment. This knowledge will assist in developing and targeting future educational and awareness strategies
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8. Why PPR in the Channel?
(1) To improve understanding of how the public engage with the marine environment.
(2) To gain support for research projects and studies.
(3) To support policy and decision making.
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9. PPR literature
Growing area of research (in context of marine and coastal environment).
Key papers:
Paper
Focus
Jefferson et al (2014)
Public perception of UK marine environment.
Capstick et al (2014)
Public perception of cold weather events in the UK (climate change)
Potts et al (2016)
Public perception of EU marine and coastal environment (coastal values)
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10. Survey Objectives To identify the public’s use of the Channel
To establish the public’s priorities for funding (what they would spend public money on)
To explore the public’s pro-environmental behaviours (e.g. buying sustainable fish, or using fewer plastic bags).
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11. Study area
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12. Respondent profile
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13. Method
Online survey
Commissioned external market research company (Global Marketing Insite, GMI)
Sample size (n)= 2000
England: 999
France: 1001
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14. Survey questions Survey Questions
Public use of the Channel (English Channel/La Manche)
Q1: How often do you visit the English Channel?
Q2: Why do you visit the English Channel?
Q3: What do you do when you visit the English Channel?
2. Public funding priorities for the Channel
Q4: If there was public funding available to improve the English Channel, how would you spend it?
Q5: This question focuses specifically on the marine and coastal environment. If there was public funding available, how would you spend it?
3. Participation in pro-environmental behaviours
Q6: Based on your knowledge and responses to this survey, have you or would you be willing to change your behaviour to protect the environment?
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15. Focus of presentation Survey Questions
Public use of the Channel Ecosystem (English Channel/La Manche)
Q1: How often do you visit the English Channel?
Q2: Why do you visit the English Channel?
Q3: What do you do when you visit the English Channel?
2. Public funding priorities for the Channel
Q5: This question focuses specifically on the marine and coastal environment. If there was public funding available, how would you spend it?
3. Participation in pro-environmental behaviours
Q6: Based on your knowledge and responses to this survey, have you or would you be willing to change your behaviour to protect the environment?
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16. Results
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17. Public use of the English Channel (1)
Q1. How frequently do you visit the Channel Coast?
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18. Public use of the English Channel (2)
Q2. Why do you visit the Channel Coast?
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19. Public use of the English Channel (3)
Q3. What do you do when you visit the Channel Coast?
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20. Marine and coastal priorities for funding What are the public’s priorities (Q5)?
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21. Marine and coastal priorities for funding Support for spending example.
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22. Pro-environmental behaviours
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23. Pro-environmental behaviours
Q6 Option: “I already do this”
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24. Pro-environmental behaviours
Q6 Option: “I like my lifestyle the way it is and am not likely to make this change”
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25. Key messages
Public survey identifies how different groups – by age, gender, location, etc. – use and value the Channel Region
Respondents were encouraged to think about the Channel region / environment and what it actually means to them
Respondents had a context to think about their own behaviour and how they might change it in future, e.g. buying sustainable fish, using less plastic bags, participating in environmental activities
Pro-environmental behaviours are currently low in the Channel region.
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26. Applications of research
Contributed to evidence base on how the public engages with marine and coastal environment.
Understanding of public views on future priorities for governance could help national and local authorities to make informed decisions on future funding priorities and management.
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27. Applications of research
Understanding how the Channel community engages in pro-environmental behaviours will help to assist and target future educational and awareness strategies.
To develop novel ways to engage and establish connections between society and the sea (Jefferson et al., 2015).
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28. Gaps/future research
Jefferson et al (2015)- priority areas for research.
Channel region:
Pro-environmental behaviours (e.g. link between rubbish and own behaviour)
Benefits from the sea (links to human health and well-being)
Public perceptions of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Public perceptions of health of the Channel ecosystem
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29. For further information:
Thank you
For further information:
Angela Carpenter
Report available at:
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