The Socio-Economics of the West, Central and Southern African Coastal Communities

A Synthesis: Three Economic Valuations of West, Central and Southern African Ecosystem Services The goal of this report is to provide an overview and synthesis of three economic valuations, each performed for the purpose of determining the “flow of value” – or “ecosystem service” benefits – that result from the three west, central and southern African LMEs. While “marine” implies “ocean,” ecosystem services arise from both ocean ecosystems and coastal ecosystems that comprise the west, central and southern African LMEs. This report will therefore cover both the ocean and coastal ecosystem services examined in the three valuations. The first study, Sumaila (2015), 19 examines ecosystem services originating from the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) (Figure 1a). This southernmost west African LME is a changing and complex system with a mild climate that plays an“important role in global climate and ocean processes.” 20 The significantly generative BCLME 21 encompasses the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Angola, Namibia and part of South Africa. 22 The second study, Interwies (2011), 23 assesses the highly productive Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME) (Figure 1b). The GCLME extends froma defined northern border (with seasonal fluctuations) to a less clear southern border formed by the South Equatorial current. 24 It encompasses 16 countries fromGuinea-Bissau in the northwest coast of Africa to Angola in the southwest. 25 Finally, the third study, Interwies and Görlitz (2013), 26 examines those goods and services emanating from the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) (Figure 1c), a cold water upwelling off the coast of north-

west Africa. The CCLME ranks third in the world for primary productivity after the Humboldt (South American west coast) and the BCLME, and has the highest fisheries production of any African LME. 27 The CCLME is bordered by Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, the Canary Islands (Spain), The Gambia, Cape Verde, and to a lesser extent, Sierra Leone. 28,29

Human well-being and the four capitals

H U M A N

Economic Capital

Natural Capital

Social Capital

Human Capital

W E L L B E I N G

Ecosystem Services

Contribution to Human Well-being

Figure 2: The Flow of Capital. Source: Pendleton, L. and A. Kaup. 2015. The Future Management of Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services for People. In: The Ocean and Us. Neumann, C., T. Bryan, L. Pendleton, A. Kaup, J. Glavan (eds). GRID-Arendal, Arendal, Norway. p. 46.

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