Experts' evaluation of concepts of Ecologically Sustainable Development applied to coastal ecosystems

With the broad aim of promoting the essential interdisciplinary research on sustainable development and contributing to the development of an operational bio-economic analysis, the present paper attempts to evaluate four representative approaches to Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) in the context of coastal ecosystems. These approaches are non-declining utility per capita, preservation of all the existing natural capital, preservation of the biological crucial levels, and conservation of the critical natural capital. They reflect contemporary dialogue and especially the tension between the schools of strong and weak sustainability. The evaluation was performed by the international community of coastal experts through responses to a questionnaire survey (n = 99).It emerges that those approaches to ESD that integrate operational criteria and principles from natural sciences within the consideration of socioeconomic welfare are evaluated as more functional as well as scientifically more appropriate for defining the target of ESD in coastal ecosystems.

► Four approaches of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) are presented.
► Coastal experts evaluated these four ESD approaches in a questionnaire survey.
► Principles from natural sciences are evaluated as more functional and appropriate.
► Bio-economic approaches are more operational for ESD in coastal ecosystems.