Presentation on Research Proposal

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Presentation on Research Proposal by Harry
Barnes-Dabban(Ghana Ports Harbours
Authority)PhD Researcher, Environmental Policy
GroupWageningen University ResearchThe
Netherlands Supervisors Prof A.P.J. Mol Prof.
Kris van Koppen
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• Research Topic
• Governing Environmental Flows from Shipping
  West and Central African (WACAF) Ports and the
  Network Society

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• Presentation Outline
• Research Background
• Research Problem
• Research Objective
• Research Question
• Conceptual Framework
• Research Methodology
• Expected Results/Scientific Significance
• Preliminary Conclusions

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• Research Background
• Growing concern about threats to global
  environmental quality
• Ports obliged to MEAs and IMO Conventions
• WACAF ports and environmental flows from shipping
  ship waste, ballast water, oil spill
• Emerging innovative forms of steering as
  Eco-Ports under ESPO
• WACAF ports operate as individual entities
• WACAF Region requires coordinated environmental
  approaches

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• Research Problem
• Ports crucial for WACAF economies
• Export-led programmes means increased shipping
  with environmental challenges
• Lack of capacity and ineffective enforcement of
  international conventions
• Marpol 73/78, BWC 04, OPRC 90 Abidjan
  Convention 81
• HOW CAN THEY COMPLY AND IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL
  PERFORMANCE?

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• Research Objective
• to analyse the dynamics of local and global
  environmental strategies and the opportunities
  they present for regional forms of environmental
  steering and cooperation to improve environmental
  performance in WACAF ports

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• Research Question
• what are the actual and potential contributions
  that regional forms of environmental steering and
  cooperation can make in the linking of local and
  global strategies to improve environmental
  performance in WACAF ports?

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• Conceptual Framework
• Manuel Castells Network and Flows Theory in
  his work Network Society (1996)
• Shift from nation-states and national
  societies to networks and flows of capital,
  people, technology etc.
• Time-space organisation of social activities
• space of flows and space of places

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• Figure 1

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• Figure 2

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• Research Methodology
• Case study of
• Ports of Abidjan, Douala, Lagos and Tema
• Ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam
• Questionnaires and interviews
• Literature review
• Existing relevant data and documents available in
  ports, institutions and agencies

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• Expected Results/ Scientific Significance
• Contribute to existing knowledge on port
  environmental governance
• Identify what contributions regional forms of
  environmental steering/ cooperation can make to
  improve environmental performance in the WACAF
  region
• Promote environmental awareness and support
  environmental improvement in WACAF ports

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• Preliminary Conclusions
• WACAF ports exposed to a new reality
• Environment at centre of global development
  agenda
• Through networks of actors, WACAF ports can work
  together in managing environmental challenges
• Environmental governance forms and practices are
  available

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• Thank you for your kind attention