Avoiding a crisis of motivation for ocean management under global environmental change |
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| Authors: | Peter J Mumby James N Sanchirico Kenneth Broad Michael W Beck Peter Tyedmers Megan Morikawa Thomas A Okey Larry B Crowder Elizabeth A Fulton Denny Kelso Joanie A Kleypas Stephan B Munch Polita Glynn Kathryn Matthews Jane Lubchenco |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Marine Spatial Ecology Lab & ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia;2. Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA, USA;3. Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA;4. The Nature Conservancy & Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA;5. School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada;6. Department of Biological Sciences, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA;7. School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada;8. Center for Ocean Solutions & Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Monterey, CA, USA;9. CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania and Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tas, Australia;10. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Palo Alto, CA, USA;11. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA;12. NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA;13. The Pew Charitable Trusts, Washington, DC, USA;14. Oceana, Washington, DC, USA;15. Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA |
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| Abstract: | Climate change and ocean acidification are altering marine ecosystems and, from a human perspective, creating both winners and losers. Human responses to these changes are complex, but may result in reduced government investments in regulation, resource management, monitoring and enforcement. Moreover, a lack of peoples’ experience of climate change may drive some towards attributing the symptoms of climate change to more familiar causes such as management failure. Taken together, we anticipate that management could become weaker and less effective as climate change continues. Using diverse case studies, including the decline of coral reefs, coastal defences from flooding, shifting fish stocks and the emergence of new shipping opportunities in the Arctic, we argue that human interests are better served by increased investments in resource management. But greater government investment in management does not simply mean more of “business‐as‐usual.” Management needs to become more flexible, better at anticipating and responding to surprise, and able to facilitate change where it is desirable. A range of technological, economic, communication and governance solutions exists to help transform management. While not all have been tested, judicious application of the most appropriate solutions should help humanity adapt to novel circumstances and seek opportunity where possible. |
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| Keywords: | Arctic climate change coral reefs fisheries resilience tipping point |
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