*1.3. Novelty and Objectives*

Wave energy is approached in several disciplines with a focus on different project stages, creating clusters of information that are interconnected, yet seldom integrated into the literature. This study applies concepts of interdisciplinary research into wave energy in the context of Pacific Island countries, combining a diverse range of elements from the PESTEL dimensions into a framework. Inserting wave energy into a new location will not only have technological and economic repercussions but will also affect the local environment and society. An integrative framework enables us to represent the diversity of issues and delineate the important variables that can turn a project unfeasible or create fundamental dissents between decision makers and stakeholders.

The options for the economic development of the PICs are restricted by limited natural resources, remoteness, and small land size. Local communities rely on sustainable use of their local resources for subsistence and income, which makes coastal and marine resources paramount to the local economy, society, and culture. Marine energy development is highly susceptible to local acceptance in this region, thus, identifying conflicts of use through a general framework will be crucial. There are four main objectives behind this study:


The outcomes include a cluster diagram that represents the ICFPICs, a decision tree for the process of utilizing the framework, and a SWOT diagram constructed based on the information gathered. Section 2 describes the materials and methods for this study, including the resources used to construct the ICFPICs and the methodologies applied. Section 3 presents the results, which incorporates the ICFPICs diagram, a user-friendly decision tree, and a combined SWOT-PESTEL matrix. Discussions and case studies for

Pacific Island countries can be found in Section 4, while conclusions are summarized in Section 5.
