MASTER’S THESIS ECO-EMPOWERMENT: STEPS TOWARDS SAFEGUARDING CURAÇAO'S CORAL REEF

 Masters' Thesis Univeristy of Utrecht

The coral reef in Curaçao is facing a critical threat, with consequences ranging from increased flood susceptibility to the collapse of the fishing activities and loss of marine biodiversity. Some of the local residents feel unheard by the inaction of the government, leading to the research question: Which opportunities for stakeholders on Curaçao can be identified to empower the local community in the conservation of the coral reef? This research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of perspectives on coral reef conservation among Curaçao's inhabitants and various institutions. Through a discourse network analysis, which combines surveys for the local population and interviews with organizations, the study evaluates the identified success conditions based on literature to find opportunities for collaborative ecological empowerment within the community of Curaçao. The results reveal strengths and weaknesses which are identified through careful evaluation of the success conditions. Five opportunities emerged, with education being the most fundamental. Currently, coral reef conservation education predominantly targets the younger audience, excluding the adults. To address this gap, this research proposes an opportunity based on the condition peer influence by engaging widely respected public figures as ambassadors for coral reef conservation. NGOs or the government can take the lead in this initiative. In short, this research not only sheds light on opportunities in the success condition education but also emphasizes opportunities in the conditions: peer influence, culture, organization, and financial capability. In this way the study paves the way for a sustainable approach to eco-empowerment in coral reef conservation in Curaçao.