Ateneo School of Government's Research Contributions

In a highly industrialized and capitalist society, the world’s natural resources are alarmingly vulnerable to human destruction as they play major roles in our economic activities. Water and coastal ecosystems in particular take the brunt of our consumerism, with issues such as plastic pollution and water contamination endangering ocean wildlife and habitats.

As a call to incorporate environmental conservation and sustainable practices on wide-scale and institutional levels, the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) cultivates environmental initiatives, research, and education. With its programs that encourage discussions on policy reforms and innovative solutions, the school has published studies on the conservation of natural water resources and wildlife. In particular, these studies are part of ASOG’s research portfolio on maritime security which seeks to discuss geopolitical issues (West Philippine Sea maritime disputes and China’s militarization in the region), ports security and intelligence (Maritime Single Point of Contact), and the sustainable development of the maritime economy (Blue Economy).

Towards the blue economy

According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health." In a list by international organization PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of Asia), there are a number of industries that can pave the way towards this type of economy such as fishing and aquaculture, oil and gas, coastal manufacturing, seabed mining, renewable energy, marine biotechnology, and environmental services.

Ronald Mendoza, Dean of the ASoG, and Sheena Valenzuela published a paper entitled Growing the Philippine Blue Economy: Policy Challenges and Opportunities in 2017. The paper contextualizes the possibilities of a blue economy in the Philippines, along with the challenges and opportunities that may come along. The study also argues that the blue economy in the Philippines would need an integrated development plan, as well as an institution that would carry it out.

In 2019, Dean Mendoza presented the paper at the Science Policy Forum and Workshop on the Sustainable Development of the Philippine Blue Economy. There, he argued that a local blue economy could be nurtured through good governance and marine spatial planning, defined as the sustainable management of ocean resources. He also discussed emerging ocean industries like seabed mining, ocean thermal energy conversion, and tidal wave energy.

On fisheries and marine industries

In the same year, the ASoG also published a study entitled The impact of fish production on marine trade balance and foreign direct investment: An empirical study of the GCC economies. Written by Faris Alshubiri, Mohamed Elheddad, and ASoG Non-Resident Research Fellow Nadia Doytch, the study explores the impact of fish output on the marine fish trade balance, as well as foreign investment opportunities in six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries over the period of 1985–2016. The findings show that marine fish production has a positive and significant effect on marine trade balance. It was also found that there is a statistically significant long-term relationship between fish production, trade balance, and foreign direct investment.

Related links:

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X19301320

• http://www.ateneo.edu/aps/asog/news/dean-mendoza-marine-spatial-planning