Research Priorities for Achieving Healthy Marine Ecosystems and Human Communities in a Changing Climate

Abstract

Friedman et al. Priority Research Healthy Marine Systems major social and ecological events over the past 60 years that shaped current human relationships with coasts and oceans. We then used a modified Delphi approach to identify nine priority research areas and 46 questions focused on increasing sustainability and well-being in marine social-ecological systems. The research areas we identified include relationships between ecological and human health, access to resources, equity, governance, economics, resilience, and technology. Most questions require increased collaboration across traditionally distinct disciplines and sectors for successful study and implementation. By identifying these questions, we hope to facilitate the discourse, research, and policies needed to rapidly promote healthy marine ecosystems and the human communities that depend upon them.

Twelve Recommendations for Advancing Marine Conservation in European and Contiguous Seas

“…Gender equality has been identified as a key component of the health of marine social-ecological systems (Friedman et al, 2020). Gender equality is also key in defining research interests and priorities regarding ocean health; women have raised important, and often neglected, concerns in marine conservation (Gissi et al, 2018b).…”

100 Opportunities for More Inclusive Ocean Research: Cross-Disciplinary Research Questions for Sustainable Ocean Governance and Management

“…Horizon scanning exercises have ranged in focus from issues of importance at local, national, sub-regional scales to those at international scales. Research identification and prioritization exercises have traditionally been 'top-down' affairs, with selected consultation from invited representatives from the scientific community (invited experts see e.g., Friedman et al, 2020) and private sector organizations (National Research Council et al, 2015;Holthus, 2018;Boero et al, 2019). However, the past decade has seen an increased use of 'bottom-up' horizon scanning approaches that draw on the collective expertise of thousands of scientists, policy-makers, and practitioners.…”

Environmental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic from a (marine) ecological perspective

“…Ecological, societal and political lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted that new poli-cies should be primarily based on the best available science (Pearson et al 2020). A recognition of this role of science for policy brings a unique opportunity to marine scientists in general, and marine ecologists in particular, who can contribute to achieving sustainable ocean use and set efficient and effective goals within the UN SDG context (Claudet et al 2020, Friedman et al 2020 (Fig. 5).…”

“…Research to identify which system elements can maximise resilience, redundancy and resistance; how to set thresholds and directions of change for new societal targets within system thinking; and how to integrate the value of diverse ecosystem services that sustain and benefit human societies are just some examples of potentially relevant contributions to redefining our relationship with nature (Borja et al 2020). However, large scientific and technological gaps remain regarding marine science, and the new decade to come presents a great opportunity to push the boundaries (European Marine Board 2019, Fulton et al 2019, Friedman et al 2020. New hot topics related to the 4 dimensions (3D and temporal) of the ocean, the role of multiple stressors and of extreme events, and the future impact of invasive species remain to be fully investigated, and ocean technologies, data collection, modelling and the new analytical capabilities of artificial intelligence need to be fully developed to achieve a more sustainable use of the ocean (European Marine Board 2019).…”