Diplomacy for the world’s hottest sea

Fawzi, Nadia Al-Mudaffar; Fieseler, Clare; Helmuth, Brian; Leitão, Alexandra; Al-Ainsi, Mehsin; Mukaimi, Mohammad Al; Al‐Saidi, Mohammad; Senafi, Fahad Al; Bejarano, Ivonne; Ben‐Hamadou, Radhouane; D'Addario, Josh; Mohamed, Ahmad Mujthaba Dheen; Giraldes, Bruno Welter; Glowka, Lyle; Johnson, Maggie D.; Lyons, Brett P.; Mateos-Molina, Daniel; Marshall, Christopher D.; Mohammed, Sayeed; Range, Pedro; Shokri, Mohammad Reza; Wong, John M. K.; Pyenson, Nicholas D.

doi:10.1126/science.add1555

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…Scholars have long held-up less populated regions, like the Arctic, as settings for studying and advancing science diplomacy, while heavily populated and politically complex regions, like the Gulf, have been overlooked [ 1 ]. We argue that non-pristine and urbanizing regions should be considered for peer-to-peer diplomacy—also called Track 2 diplomacy—which the UN Decade of Ocean Science strives to spark as an organizing platform.…”

Section: Building Towards Ocean Diplomacymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The recent softening of geopolitical tensions among many Middle Eastern countries opens the possibility for increased cooperation on climate change and biodiversity loss that centres on the semi-enclosed 960 km-long Gulf 1 figure 1 and table 1 [ 1 ]. Environmental challenges require the kind of government-to-government cooperation (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The one-word name ‘Gulf’ is used here, as previous publications have done (e.g. [ 1 ]), to omit any geographic descriptors that detract from a productive dialogue. ‘Inner Gulf of the ROPME Sea’ or ‘ROPME Sea Area’ are names accepted by all coastal states of the Gulf via the ROPME Council (see also figure 1 and table 1 ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Expanding ocean protection and peace: a window for science diplomacy in the Gulf

Fieseler,

Al-Mudaffar Fawzi,

Helmuth

et al. 2023

R. Soc. open sci.

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The ecological state of the Persian or Arabian Gulf (hereafter ‘Gulf') is in sharp decline. Calls for comprehensive ecosystem-based management approaches and transboundary conservation have gone largely unanswered, despite mounting marine threats made worse by climate change. The region's long-standing political tensions add additional complexity, especially now as some Gulf countries will soon adopt ambitious goals to protect their marine environments as part of new global environmental commitments. The recent interest in global commitments comes at a time when diplomatic relations among all Gulf countries are improving. There is a window of opportunity for Gulf countries to meet global marine biodiversity conservation commitments, but only if scientists engage in peer-to-peer diplomacy to build trust, share knowledge and strategize marine conservation options across boundaries. The Gulf region needs more ocean diplomacy and coordination; just as critically, it needs actors at its science-policy interface to find better ways of adapting cooperative models to fit its unique marine environment, political context and culture. We propose a practical agenda for scientist-led diplomacy in the short term and lines of research from which to draw (e.g. co-production, knowledge exchange) to better design future science diplomacy practices and processes suited to the Gulf's setting.

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Section: Building Towards Ocean Diplomacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Expanding ocean protection and peace: a window for science diplomacy in the Gulf

Fieseler,

Al-Mudaffar Fawzi,

Helmuth

et al. 2023

R. Soc. open sci.

Self Cite

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“…Accurate estimates of carbon sequestration rates and a greater exchange of knowledge and data among scientists across Gulf countries is essential (Fawzi et al, 2022). Across each habitat type are essential to design NbS aimed at maximising future carbon storage.…”

Section: Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-habitat carbon stock assessments to inform nature-based solutions for coastal seascapes in arid regions

Carpenter,

Evans,

Pittman

et al. 2023

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Coastal ecosystems are integral to global carbon cycling and are increasingly recognised for their role in mitigating climate change. Within these ecosystems, the dynamics of carbon storage are diverse, varying significantly across different habitats. However, existing management strategies often focus predominantly on vegetated habitats neglecting the contributions of non-vegetated areas. We address this knowledge gap by providing a quantitative spatial assessment of carbon storage across coastal seascapes varying in plant biomass. Our comprehensive multi-habitat inventory of carbon stocks in the United Arab Emirates confirmed that mangroves are the largest carbon-storing habitat per hectare (94.3 t/ha), followed by saltmarshes (63.6 t/ha), microbial mats (51.6 t/ha), mudflats (46.8 t/ha), seagrass (32.5 t/ha), and coastal sabkha (31.0 t/ha).Mean carbon content in the top 50 cm of mangrove soils (53.9 t/ha) was similar to saltmarshes (52.7 t/ha), microbial mats (51.6 t/ha), and mudflats (46.8 t/ha). We highlight the importance of including non-vegetated habitats in carbon accounting and management strategies. Our findings suggest that a more context-specific whole-system approach is essential for guiding effective ecosystem management and designing ecologically meaningful Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Adopting this broader perspective in NbS can ensure more comprehensive conservation and restoration outcomes, which not only protect and enhance blue carbon ecosystems but also contribute to broader ecological and social benefits. This approach is pivotal for advancing our understanding of interconnected coastal ecosystems and their role in climate change mitigation.

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“…There are currently plans to enforce this cooperation through, for example, regional climate change research, completing integrated rail networks, and building environmental alliances (e.g., the Green Middle East Summit first held in 2022 in Saudi Arabia). Scholars also call for a wider Gulf region cooperation approach that includes researchers and civil society in order to harness the full benefits of science diplomacy in tackling common environmental challenges (Fawzi et al, 2022).…”

Section: The Missing Link Of Education For Sustainable Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disentangling the SDGs agenda in the GCC region: Priority targets and core areas for environmental action

Al‐Saidi

2022

Front. Environ. Sci.

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The agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a key international outcome for guiding development efforts of nation states. However, SDG targets cover vast areas of action, and they are difficult to break down and monitor for countries with different developmental situations and needs. Often, global rankings of countries’ compliance with the SDG agenda are plagued with false signals and methodological limitations. This paper presents a much-needed prioritization of the SDG targets for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It maps SDG targets and outlines priorities and key areas for environmental action. Sustainability in resource use, consumption and production constitutes a primary area for investments. Education and awareness represent cross-cutting priorities and low-hanging fruit for action. Tackling climate change and emerging supply risks and the management of ecosystems represent an action area in which GCC governments can intensify their interventions. As a supporting policy, regional environmental cooperation is important for enhanced commitments and tackling transboundary aspects of the SDG agenda. The analysis of the SDG agenda in the GCC regions reiterates the importance of countries engaging with global sustainability framings in order work out their own interpretations in congruence with national development realities. Such an SDG regional mapping exercise also assists national-level planners or regional bodies working on development issues in shaping the Gulf region’s engagement with the global sustainability agenda and tracking progress on key SDG priorities.

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Diplomacy for the world’s hottest sea

Cited by 10 publications

References 10 publications

Expanding ocean protection and peace: a window for science diplomacy in the Gulf

Expanding ocean protection and peace: a window for science diplomacy in the Gulf

Multi-habitat carbon stock assessments to inform nature-based solutions for coastal seascapes in arid regions

Disentangling the SDGs agenda in the GCC region: Priority targets and core areas for environmental action

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