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Boundary objects and global consensus: Scalar narratives of marine conservation in the Convention on Biological Diversity

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gray, NJ; Gruby, RL; Campbell, LM
Published in: Global Environmental Politics
January 1, 2014

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) continues to promote marine protected areas (MPAs) as a preferred tool for marine biodiversity conservation, in spite of concerns over their effectiveness and equity. However, explanations for this consensus on the utility of MPAs focus primarily on their measurability and ignore the ways in which they are conceptualized through ongoing governance processes. Drawing on the results of collaborative event ethnography at the Tenth Conference of the Parties to the CBD, this paper adopts the concepts of boundary objects and scalar narratives to analyze the ways in which consensus on MPAs is produced, in spite of conflicting understandings of MPA forms and functions. Both a local narrative of participatory MPAs and a global narrative of science driven high seas conservation articulate a regional scale as ideal for MPA governance, although with different priorities. Ultimately, consensus at the CBD is enabled only by accommodating competing visions of MPAs. © 2014 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Published In

Global Environmental Politics

DOI

ISSN

1526-3800

Publication Date

January 1, 2014

Volume

14

Issue

3

Start / End Page

64 / 83

Related Subject Headings

  • International Relations
  • 4408 Political science
  • 4406 Human geography
  • 1606 Political Science
  • 1604 Human Geography
  • 0502 Environmental Science and Management
 

Citation

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Gray, N. J., Gruby, R. L., & Campbell, L. M. (2014). Boundary objects and global consensus: Scalar narratives of marine conservation in the Convention on Biological Diversity. Global Environmental Politics, 14(3), 64–83. https://doi.org/10.1162/GLEP_a_00239
Gray, N. J., R. L. Gruby, and L. M. Campbell. “Boundary objects and global consensus: Scalar narratives of marine conservation in the Convention on Biological Diversity.” Global Environmental Politics 14, no. 3 (January 1, 2014): 64–83. https://doi.org/10.1162/GLEP_a_00239.
Gray NJ, Gruby RL, Campbell LM. Boundary objects and global consensus: Scalar narratives of marine conservation in the Convention on Biological Diversity. Global Environmental Politics. 2014 Jan 1;14(3):64–83.
Gray, N. J., et al. “Boundary objects and global consensus: Scalar narratives of marine conservation in the Convention on Biological Diversity.” Global Environmental Politics, vol. 14, no. 3, Jan. 2014, pp. 64–83. Scopus, doi:10.1162/GLEP_a_00239.
Gray NJ, Gruby RL, Campbell LM. Boundary objects and global consensus: Scalar narratives of marine conservation in the Convention on Biological Diversity. Global Environmental Politics. 2014 Jan 1;14(3):64–83.
Journal cover image

Published In

Global Environmental Politics

DOI

ISSN

1526-3800

Publication Date

January 1, 2014

Volume

14

Issue

3

Start / End Page

64 / 83

Related Subject Headings

  • International Relations
  • 4408 Political science
  • 4406 Human geography
  • 1606 Political Science
  • 1604 Human Geography
  • 0502 Environmental Science and Management