. Earth Science News .
WATER WORLD
Achieving a safe and just future for the ocean economy
by Staff Writers
Vancouver, Canada (SPX) Oct 16, 2019

illustration only

The economic potential of the oceans is expected to double from US$1.5 trillion in 2010 to US$3 trillion by 2030. Yet managing this growth should be undertaken in a safe and just manner caution a team of international researchers.

In a climate of environmental change and financial uncertainty, much attention has been given to the growth of the "Blue Economy" - a term which refers to the sustainable use of ocean and marine resources for economic growth, jobs, and improved livelihoods.

Ocean resources are viewed as lucrative areas for increased investment, including in fisheries, aquaculture, bio-prospecting, renewable energy, oil and gas, and other businesses.

Ensuring that socially equitable and sustainable development occurs should be the mandate of governments and industry, maintain an international group of researchers, led by UBC's Nathan Bennett and Rashid Sumaila.

"Coastal countries and small island developing states have the most at stake when it comes to increased economic activities in local waters," said Nathan Bennett, research faculty member in UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and lead author on the paper.

"It is important that this not be like a Gold Rush scenario, where unbridled ocean development produces substantial harms for both the marine environment and the wellbeing of the populations who dependent on it. In this paper, we provide solutions to proactively address the potential harms produced by ocean development."

The five recommendations in the paper focus on managing for sustainability, benefit sharing, and creating inclusive decision-making processes at local, national and international levels:

1. Establish a global coordinating body and develop international guidelines;

2. Ensure national policies and institutions safeguard sustainability;

3. Promote equitable sharing of benefits and minimization of harms;

4. Employ inclusive governance and decision-making processes; and

5. Engage with insights from interdisciplinary ocean science.

"There are currently no set of guidelines, or even an obvious international coordinating body, which focuses on the Blue Economy," said Dr. Rashid Sumaila, senior author, professor at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Director of the OceanCanada Partnership.

"Nothing exists in many nations either. This lack of coordination can lead to situations like we are already seeing in the global fishing industry, where harmful subsidies are leading to overfishing, human rights abuses are occurring, and local access to fish stocks and food security are being undermined."

"The blue economy is already growing. But, we have an opportunity and responsibility to shape future growth so that it is sustainable and equitable," said Bennett. "Including civil society, such as small-scale fishers, women and Indigenous people, in the decision-making and management processes will help to ensure that benefits are shared."

Research paper


Related Links
University of British Columbia
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


WATER WORLD
Back from the dead: Some corals regrow after 'fatal' warming
Washington (AFP) Oct 9, 2019
For the first time ever, scientists have found corals that were thought to have been killed by heat stress have recovered, a glimmer of hope for the world's climate change-threatened reefs. The chance discovery, made by Diego K. Kersting from the Freie University of Berlin and the University of Barcelona during diving expeditions in the Spanish Mediterranean, was reported in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday. Kersting and co-author Cristina Linares have been carrying out long-term monito ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

WATER WORLD
French chemical fire cost farmers up to 50 mn euros: minister

Costs of natural disasters are increasing at the high end

Greece requests more NATO ships on migration patrols

Three dead in China bridge collapse

WATER WORLD
Electronic solid could reduce carbon emissions in fridges and air conditioners

German shooter video stays online despite crackdown

German chemical industry sketches costly carbon-neutral path

How do the strongest magnets in the universe form?

WATER WORLD
Egypt, Ethiopia to hold Nile dam talks in Russia: Sisi

In Nairobi, recycling poo is cleaning up the slums

Detailed reef survey reveals major changes in Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Back from the dead: Some corals regrow after 'fatal' warming

WATER WORLD
Aerial photographs shed light on Mont Blanc ice loss

Dust in ice cores leads to new knowledge on the advancement of the ice before the ice age

Study calls for stronger protections for emperor penguins

The last mammoths died on a remote island

WATER WORLD
The benefits of updating agricultural drainage infrastructure

Chile's drought killing thousands of farm animals

Climate change pushes Italy beekeepers to the brink

Tree, fruit growers beware: Spotted lanternfly has its pick of invadable territory

WATER WORLD
58 dead, rescuers in 'day and night' hunt for missing after Japan typhoon

Japan braces for powerful typhoon Hagibis

Japan rescuers seek survivors after Typhoon Hagibis kills 35

Six killed after heavy rains hit DR Congo's capital

WATER WORLD
Ethiopia's Abiy urged to cement 'rights legacy' after Nobel win

Abiy Ahmed: Meteoric rise of the man trying to remould Ethiopia

Protesters ransack UN supplies in central Mali

Mali's main jihadist group claims deadly army base attacks: media

WATER WORLD
High-stakes conflict threatens DR Congo gorillas

Bone DNA may reveal genetic differences between Neanderthals, humans

Vatican to shine light on Amazon's indigenous communities

Early humans evolved in ecosystems unlike any found today









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.