Multi-Criteria Relationship Analysis of Knowledge, Perception, and Attitude of Stakeholders for Engagement towards Maritime Pollution at Sea, Beach, and Coastal Environments

Wajih Ur Rehman, Kanwar Muhammad Javed Iqbal, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Wahid Ullah, Ashfaq Ahmad Shah and Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq ()
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Wajih Ur Rehman: Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, H-10, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Kanwar Muhammad Javed Iqbal: National Institute of Maritime Affairs, Bahria University, E-8, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Muhammad Irfan Khan: Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, H-10, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Wahid Ullah: Department of Sociology, University of Chakwal, Punjab 48800, Pakistan
Ashfaq Ahmad Shah: Research Center for Environment and Society, Hohai University Nanjing, Nanjing 210098, China
Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq: College of Engineering, IT & Environment, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0810, Australia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: The external influence due to the severe repercussions of unprecedented and un-attended pollution has put vulnerable marine ecosystems at high risk of irreversible damage. This business-as-usual scenario could render them unfit to offer sustenance along with innumerable ecosystem services. Since the Stockholm Conference on Human Environment 1972, there have been global efforts to raise awareness, build capacity, and govern the pollution issue for a sustainable solution. However, there is a growing concern about the adequacy of the desired level of mobilization and readiness so far achieved at the level of various stakeholders to respond to the issue of maritime pollution. In this context, the present study was aimed at assessing the relationship between knowledge, perception, and attitude of the stakeholders regarding their engagement towards maritime pollution at sea, beach, and coastal environments, by incorporating multi-criteria quantitative analysis method for a case study of Karachi area in Pakistan. The structured questionnaire incorporates Knowledge, Perception, and Attitude as three key variables for three principles; four standardized criteria each, with eighteen indicators transformed into queries by applying MCDA’s Simple Multi Attribute Rating (SMART) technique for scoring to quantify the feedback of 304 respondents through a ratio scale having nominal qualifiable classes. The analysis has offered insight into the ways the stakeholders are perpetrating pollution and how their respective actions are important in the abatement of marine pollution. One-tailed Pearson Correlation analysis reveals insignificant relationship between the variables, indicating that the level of understanding of the stakeholders has not developed opinions to an extent that would enable an appropriate behavioral approach toward the abatement of the pollution. It suggests inducing awareness, mobilization, and reforms to encourage collective action by all actors.

Keywords: maritime pollution; knowledge; perception; attitude; stakeholder engagement; MCDA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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