Ecological Conflicts and Valuation - mangroves vs. shrimp in the late 1990s

Joan Martínez Alier
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Joan Martínez Alier: Departament d'Economia i d'Història Econòmica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

No 2001_04, UHE Working papers from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Departament d'Economia i Història Econòmica, Unitat d'Història Econòmica

Abstract: Shrimps are produced in two different ways. They are fished in the sea (sometimes at the cost of turtle destruction) or they are "farmed" in ponds in coastal areas. Such aquaculture is increasing around the world as shrimps become a valuable item of world trade. Mangrove forests are sacrificed for commercial shrimp farming. This paper considers the conflict between mangrove conservation and shrimp exports in different countries.Who has title to the mangroves, who wins and who loses in this tragedy of enclosures? Which languages of valuation are used by different actors in order to compare the increase in shrimp exports and the losses in livelihoods and in environmental services? The economic valuation of damages is only one of the possible languages of valuation which are relevant in practice. Who has the power to impose a particular language of valuation?

Keywords: Mangroves; Shrimps; Ecological distribution conflicts; Tragedy of enclosures; Valuation; Environmentalism of the poor; Trade and environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 17 pages
Date: 2001-05
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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