Increasing Capacity for Stewardship of Oceans and Coasts: A Priority for the 21st Century
National Research Council, 2007
Marine environments support the
livelihoods, economies, and quality
of life for communities around
the world. But growth of coastal populations
and increasing demands on marine resources are
putting the future of ocean and coastal resources at
risk through impacts such as overfishing, wetland
drainage, coastal urbanization, climate change, and
pollution of coastal waters.
The rapid decline of many ocean and coastal
ecosystems has captured the attention of governments,
national and international organizations, and
private foundations. There is growing recognition
that increasing the stewardship of local and global
seas will require a greater capacity to assess, monitor,
manage, and govern coastal and ocean resources.
Programs to grow this capacity are needed for
training scientists, managers, and policymakers and
for strengthening institutions that supply the necessary
financial support, technology, and tools.
This National Research Council report assesses
past and current capacity-building efforts to
identify barriers to effective management of coastal
and marine resources encountered in coastal nations,
particularly in the developing world. The report
recommends ways that governments and organizations
can help strengthen marine and coastal protection
and management capacity, including periodic
program assessments, sustained funding, and the
development of leadership and political will.
Statement of Task [top]
The study will identify barriers to effective management of coastal and marine resources encountered in coastal nations, particularly in the developing world. The committee will examine current and past efforts to build the scientific, technological and institutional capacities required for countries to develop and implement effective coastal and marine resource policies. This review will include analysis of strategies for sustaining the benefits of capacity-building efforts over the long term. In carrying out its task, the committee will:
- Identify the types of information that would be required to form a foundation for policy decisions affecting the long-term health of coastal and marine ecosystems;
- Examine the roles of human resource development, establishment of appropriate institutions and infrastructure, and creation of a favorable policy environment in building legitimacy across a broad spectrum of society into oceans-related programs; and
- Identify measures to link investment in capacity-building to "on-the-ground" results, using such analytical tools as economic cost-benefit, environment and development indicators, and transboundary diagnostic analysis.
The committee will recommend ways in which the United States and partner organizations, including governments, international bodies, and stakeholders, can help strengthen the marine protection and management capacity of other countries. This will include recommendations on how capacity-building activities can be translated into sustainable environmental and economic programs.
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Committee Roster [top]
Committee on International Capacity Building for the Protection and Sustainable Use of Oceans and
Coasts
Mary (Missy) H. Feeley (Co-Chair)
ExxonMobil Exploration Company
Silvio C. Pantoja (Co-Chair)
University of Concepción, Chile
Tundi Agardy
Sound Seas
Juan Carlos Castilla
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Stephen C. Farber
University of Pittsburgh (Ret.)
Indumathie V. Hewawasam
The World Bank
Joanna Ibrahim
University of the West Indies
Jane Lubchenco
Oregon State University
Bonnie J. McCay
Rutgers University
Nyawira Muthiga
Wildlife Conservation Society, Kenya
Stephen B. Olsen
University of Rhode Island
Shubha Sathyendranath
Partnership for Observation of the Global
Oceans, Canada
Michael P. Sissenwine
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Ret.)
Daniel O. Suman
University of Miami
Giselle Tamayo
University of Costa Rica (Resigned May 2007)
Susan Roberts (Board Director), Frank Hall (Program Officer), and Jodi Bostrom (Research Associate)
National Research Council
This project was supported by the
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Presidents' Circle of the National Academies, the
David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the
National Science Foundation, the
Marisla Foundation, and the
Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation.
