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Research Article
Blue Carbon & Ecotourism: Empowering East Kalimantan’s Coastal Communities
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
44-52
Received:
27 February 2026
Accepted:
10 March 2026
Published:
22 July 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.aas.20261103.11
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Abstract: East Kalimantan’s extensive mangrove forests represent globally significant blue carbon assets, yet their potential remains largely underutilised for community-based ecotourism. This study examines how integrating mangrove conservation with ecotourism development can advance climate change mitigation and economic empowerment for coastal communities in Berau and Tarakan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed, combining structured surveys of 245 stakeholders, including local community members, tourism operators, government officials, conservation practitioners, and academics, with 32 semi-structured interviews, four focus group discussions, and participatory observation conducted between January 2024 and February 2025. Economic valuation integrated the Travel Cost Method (TCM) to estimate tourism demand and the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to assess willingness to preserve mangrove ecosystems, while carbon sequestration potential was quantified through biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) analysis using validated allometric equations. Results indicate that optimised management of integrated ecotourism and blue carbon mechanisms could generate USD 18,400-22,800 per hectare annually, substantially exceeding returns from extractive land uses such as aquaculture or timber harvesting. However, realising this potential is constrained by significant implementation barriers, including inadequate visitor infrastructure, cited by 67% of stakeholders, and limited institutional capacity, reported by 72%, alongside financial and regulatory obstacles. Since Indonesia opened its domestic carbon exchange to international trading in January 2025, carbon credits have been valued at USD 5.8-8.7 per ton, offering a new and rapidly evolving revenue stream. To address governance fragmentation, this study proposes a quintuple helix framework that coordinates government, academia, the private sector, community organisations, and environmental NGOs. Strategic recommendations include phased infrastructure development, targeted capacity building, transparent benefit-sharing mechanisms, and digital platform adoption. Overall, this integrated approach demonstrates that mangrove ecotourism can simultaneously advance conservation objectives, national climate commitments, and sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities, offering a scalable model for other blue carbon regions in Indonesia and beyond.
Abstract: East Kalimantan’s extensive mangrove forests represent globally significant blue carbon assets, yet their potential remains largely underutilised for community-based ecotourism. This study examines how integrating mangrove conservation with ecotourism development can advance climate change mitigation and economic empowerment for coastal communities...
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Research Article
Codifying Human Security: Achieving Social Justice in an Age of Climate Crisis
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
53-69
Received:
30 October 2025
Accepted:
21 November 2025
Published:
22 July 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.aas.20261103.12
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Abstract: Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are yet to translate constitutional guarantees of socio-economic and environmental rights into climate-resilient and socially just policies that are both. Most fiscal and sectoral frameworks privilege macroeconomic stability and elite interests, often at the expense of inclusive growth, food security, environmental protection, and human security. Reliance on rain-fed agriculture, extractive industries, and policy incoherence in sectors such as agriculture, land use, and energy leaves communities vulnerable to climate shocks. Emerging opportunities in carbon finance hold promise; however, weak regulation, limited institutional capacity, and the risks of elite capture pose serious obstacles. Through a doctrinal and analytical review of constitutional law, judicial cases, policy documents, and recent developments in social justice (including carbon market initiatives), this article argues for a constitutionally grounded and rights-based model of human security and social justice. Such a model would embed transparency, public participation, and equity in social justice policies, including environmental justice. Focusing on the environmental justice dimension of social justice, the central thesis is that climate change serves as a threat multiplier, undermining the right to adequate food and nutrition, and thereby deepening human insecurity and systemic vulnerability. To achieve climate justice, food sovereignty, and sustainable development, all right-bearers — including states, corporations, and individuals — must be held accountable and must exercise their duties responsibly and sustainably. The contributions are twofold: first, analytically diagnosing the structural, legal, and institutional disconnects undermining human security and social justice in a changing climate; and second, recommending socio-economic policy reforms grounded in constitutional rights, transparency, institutional coherence, and participatory governance to achieve human security and social justice.
Abstract: Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are yet to translate constitutional guarantees of socio-economic and environmental rights into climate-resilient and socially just policies that are both. Most fiscal and sectoral frameworks privilege macroeconomic stability and elite interests, often at the expense of inclusive growth, food security, environmen...
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Research Article
The Role of Churches in Upholding Principles of Democracy and Good Governance in Malawi: The Case of Seventh-day Adventist Church
Lieutenant Welastone Readson Buledi Majawa*
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
70-81
Received:
14 November 2025
Accepted:
26 November 2025
Published:
22 July 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.aas.20261103.13
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Abstract: The relationship between religion and the state has been strongly contested in the history of Christianity, and even within Protestant Christianity, different communities have taken different approaches in upholding principles of democracy and good governance to society. As such, there is a challenge to foster strong national sentiments and over all sustainable development appear priceless minus the involvement of churches at global level. The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church has its own approach in its contribution to the state. Using public theology, the theory of care, and good governance theory, a qualitative case study explored the role of the SDA church in upholding principles of democracy and good governance in Malawi. The study employed a qualitative research method characterized by phenomenological traits with the sample size of sixty-three participants, including the laity and clergy. The study revealed that the SDA church emphasizes on principles such as freedom of conscience, equality, and moral integrity, which can positively influence democracy and good governance. Adventist doctrines also advocate for individual responsibility, community service, democratic values, aligning with ethical leadership. The study findings not only address the socio-economic challenges facing the country, but also, highlights the role of churches in promoting the holistic growth of people as they are enriched with both physical and spiritual diet that help them to become good citizens.
Abstract: The relationship between religion and the state has been strongly contested in the history of Christianity, and even within Protestant Christianity, different communities have taken different approaches in upholding principles of democracy and good governance to society. As such, there is a challenge to foster strong national sentiments and over al...
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Research Article
Geospatial Malaria Risk Mapping: Assessing Environmental Determinants in Argoba Woreda, Ethiopia
Efrem Wubie Addis*
,
Yibeltal Ayenew Yigrem
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
82-97
Received:
23 June 2026
Accepted:
6 July 2026
Published:
24 July 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.aas.20261103.14
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Abstract: Even though it affects many, malaria still causes major health issues in Ethiopia - especially in Argoba Woreda, where nature plays a big role in how the disease spreads. Instead of relying only on traditional methods, this work uses satellite images and digital mapping tools to spot places more likely to have outbreaks. Elevation matters a lot; lowland villages including Gobera and Chomiye see far more sickness compared to spots up high. Temperature patterns, land shape, closeness to rivers or lakes, rain levels, and greenness of plants help show which zones face greater danger. Rather than using one source alone, the analysis combines interviews with local workers, household feedback, official records, and space-based observations. Areas sitting higher places such as Amoye Serte and Kilkilo tend to stay safer because conditions there slow down infection cycles. While some communities struggle year after year, others remain relatively untouched thanks to their surroundings. High up places shaped where malaria spread most, making up 37 percent of the danger - temperature came next at 25 percent. More than seven out of ten parts of the woreda landed in risky or extremely risky categories, once the layers were weighed together. Where greenness dropped, malaria risk climbed sharply, showing how closely they move opposite each other across space. Mapping these patterns helps fit prevention work to actual ground conditions, using location data wisely. That final picture of risk isn’t just lines on a screen - it guides real choices in villages needing focused health efforts.
Abstract: Even though it affects many, malaria still causes major health issues in Ethiopia - especially in Argoba Woreda, where nature plays a big role in how the disease spreads. Instead of relying only on traditional methods, this work uses satellite images and digital mapping tools to spot places more likely to have outbreaks. Elevation matters a lot; lo...
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Research Article
Institutional Factors Influencing the Utilisation of Digital Tools for Learning Among Postgraduate Students of Library and Information Science in South-South, Nigeria
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
98-108
Received:
12 February 2026
Accepted:
26 February 2026
Published:
24 July 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.aas.20261103.15
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Abstract: This study investigated institutional factors influencing the utilisation of digital tools for learning among postgraduate students of Library and Information Science in South-South, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined (i) the extent of availability of institutional factors that influence the use of digital tools for learning, (ii) the extent of use of digital tools among postgraduate students, and (iii) the relationship between institutional factors and the utilisation of digital tools for learning. The study adopted a correlational research design to determine the relationship between institutional factors—such as infrastructure, policy support, and institutional services—and students’ use of digital tools. The population comprised all 161 postgraduate students of Library and Information Science in Delta State University, Abraka (64), Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (26), and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt (71). Due to the manageable population size, the total enumeration (census) sampling technique was employed, involving all 161 students. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire titled “Institutional Factors and Utilisation of Digital Tools for Learning Questionnaire (IFUDTLQ),” adapted from Bielaczyc et al. (2021) and Rafiq et al. (2024). Content validity was ensured through expert review, while the reliability coefficient obtained using Cronbach’s Alpha was 0.86, indicating high internal consistency. Out of 161 copies distributed, 127 (79%) were returned and analysed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient) at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that the extent of availability of institutional factors was generally low, with an aggregate mean of 2.64 (< 3.00). Similarly, the extent of use of digital tools was also low, with an aggregate mean of 2.49 (< 3.00). However, institutional factors showed a very strong positive correlation with the use of digital tools (r =.990, p =.000 < 0.05), indicating that improved institutional support significantly enhances digital tool utilisation among postgraduate students. It was concluded that inadequate infrastructure, weak policy implementation, and insufficient technical support hinder students’ effective engagement with digital tools. The study recommended that universities invest in robust ICT infrastructure, enforce clear e-learning policies, and provide continuous capacity-building initiatives to improve digital competence and institutional readiness for technology-enhanced learning.
Abstract: This study investigated institutional factors influencing the utilisation of digital tools for learning among postgraduate students of Library and Information Science in South-South, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined (i) the extent of availability of institutional factors that influence the use of digital tools for learning, (ii) the extent of use...
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