Publications
Incorporating dead material in ecosystem assessments and projections
“When considering how ecosystems will react to climate change the importance of dead matter has been largely overlooked. Here we discuss why dead material is integral to ecosystem form and function, and why its persistence or degradation must be explicitly included in models considering ecosystem futures in a rapidly changing world…” Main photo: Pippin Searle
A blueprint for integrating scientific approaches and international communities to assess basin-wide ocean ecosystem status
“Ocean ecosystems are at the forefront of the climate and biodiversity crises, yet we lack a unified approach to assess their state and inform sustainable policies. This blueprint is designed around research capabilities and cross-sectoral partnerships. We highlight priorities including integrating basin-scale observation, modelling and genomic approaches to understand Atlantic oceanography and ecosystem connectivity; improving […]
Smoothed particle hydrodynamics for modelling cold-water coral habitats in changing oceans
“The importance of the growth, proliferation and longevity of reef-forming cold-water corals is paramount as they support various complex bio-diverse habitats and provide many essential ecosystem services. These cold-water coral reefs consist of layers of living coral tissue that grow on top of large masses of coral skeleton. Here, the Goldilocks Principle is used to simulate growth in […]
policy brief: Integrating human rights in the regulation and oversight of blue economies and just transitions
“…With growing interest in the human rights impacts of extractive and just transition activities by the United Nations, there is an urgent need to include blue economies, other ocean-related economic development planning, and marine spatial planning into any consideration of the human rights impacts of their policies, plans and projects. It is essential to pay […]
policy brief: Ten things you need to know about State ocean jurisdiction
“1. There is no part of the ocean that is actually “beyond national jurisdiction” At any place in the ocean, there is always at least one State which may or must exercise its ocean jurisdiction, i.e. its authority under international law to be involved directly in a concrete situation arising at that place. For example, the […]
policy brief: A multi-partner coalition to protect and restore the ocean’s contributions to climate regulation, human well-being and planetary health
“The ocean and its biodiversity play a key role in regulating the global climate and slowing climate change by absorption of excess heat, carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Yet the potential of the ocean and marine ecosystems to achieve the international climate goals are still largely overlooked in intergovernmental climate […]
Policy brief: A Framework for Facilitating Children’s Participation in International Processes at the Ocean-Climate Nexus
“Children are still largely invisible in decision-making processes on the marine environment, even if they are increasingly recognised as environmental human rights defenders in decision-making processes on climate action. States’ international obligations in relation to children’s human rights and the protection of the marine environment can and should be read together to offer a starting […]
Coastal Tourism Recovery amid COVID-19: Insights from a Participatory System Dynamics Approach
“This study aimed to examine the impacts of COVID-19 on coastal tourism in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), South Africa, and propose effective management interventions to enable swift recovery. A participatory system dynamics modelling approach was applied through a qualitative causal mapping processes to support a quantitative model. Multiple stakeholder perspectives were incorporated to gain a […]
Protecting Children’s Rights to Development and Culture by Re-Imagining ‘Ocean Literacies’
“This paper explores the relevance of existing international legal standards on children’s human rights to a healthy ocean. In particular, we reflect on the still underestimated importance of a healthy ocean for children’s human right to development and cultural rights. Focusing on environmental education, we argue that the concept of ocean literacy should rather be […]
