Past and future challenges in managing European seas

Blenckner, Thorsten; Kannen, Andreas; Barausse, Alberto; Fischer, Christian; Heymans, Johanna J.; Luisetti, Tiziana; Тодорова, Валентина; Valman, Matilda; Mee, Laurence

doi:10.5751/es-07246-200140

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The metacoupling framework can help address complex features such as nonlinearity (Garmestani 2014, Blenckner et al 2015, Monfared et al 2016, bifurcations (Suweis andD'Odorico 2014, Monfared et al 2016), oscillations (Innes et al 2013, Chaffin andGunderson 2016), time lags (Hamann et al 2016, Rova andPranovi 2017), legacy effects , Waylen et al 2015, path dependence (Hukkinen 2003, Manson 2008, Nykvist and von Heland 2014, and surprises associated with emergent properties (Heckbert et al 2010, ReyesGarcia et al 2016. The governance of metacoupled systems should pay serious attention to the need for agility in response to various changes and for avoiding different types of lock-ins (Hukkinen 2003, Schlüter et al 2009, Waylen et al 2015, Laborde et al 2016.…”

Section: Need For New Policy Governance and Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration across a metacoupled world

Liu¹

2017

E&S

191

170

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ABSTRACT. Human-nature interactions are complex and have important implications for achieving sustainable development goals and addressing other global challenges. Although numerous studies have explored human-nature (or human-environment) interactions and generated useful insights, they are largely disintegrated. Because conceptual frameworks are the foundation of quantitative and qualitative integration, many have been proposed but focus mainly on human-nature interactions within a specific system. To reflect human-nature interactions between distant coupled systems, the framework of telecoupling (socioeconomic and environmental interactions over distances) has been developed. However, no framework has explicitly integrated human-nature interactions between adjacent coupled systems, let alone within a coupled system as well as between adjacent and distant coupled systems simultaneously. To fill such an important gap, in this paper I present an integrated framework of metacoupling: human-nature interactions within a system (intracoupling), between distant systems (telecoupling), and between adjacent systems (pericoupling). A metacoupled system is a set of two or more coupled systems that interact internally as well as nearby and far away, facilitated by agents affected by various causes with various effects. By differentiating and integrating intracoupling, pericoupling, and telecoupling, the metacoupling framework advances a systems perspective on global sustainability and human well-being. The framework can help uncover hidden systemic connections such as spillovers and feedbacks that may not be apparent when focusing on a particular system. To demonstrate the utility of the metacoupling framework, I illustrate its application to human-nature interactions within a global flagship nature reserve as well as between the reserve and the rest of the world. The illustration suggests that the framework has the potential to help holistically understand and integrate human-nature interactions from local to global scales, over time, and among organizational levels. Finally, I offer suggestions for operationalizing the metacoupling framework and discuss the need for new policy, governance, and management for a sustainable future across the metacoupled world.

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Section: Need For New Policy Governance and Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration across a metacoupled world

Liu¹

2017

E&S

191

170

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“…All natural systems exhibit some degree of variability in space and time, which can impose challenges in setting realistic GEnS targets (Kenny et al 2009, Blenckner et al 2015. If the overall aim is to achieve sustainable exploitation of ecosystem goods and services, natural variations in the ecosystem must be taken into account.…”

Section: Variability In the Ecosystemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges of achieving Good Environmental Status in the Northeast Atlantic

Alexander¹,

Kershaw²,

Cooper³

et al. 2015

E&S

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ABSTRACT. The sustainable exploitation of marine ecosystem services is dependent on achieving and maintaining an adequate ecosystem state to prevent undue deterioration. Within the European Union, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires member states to achieve Good Environmental Status (GEnS), specified in terms of 11 descriptors. We analyzed the complexity of social-ecological factors to identify common critical issues that are likely to influence the achievement of GEnS in the Northeast Atlantic (NEA) more broadly, using three case studies. A conceptual model developed using a soft systems approach highlights the complexity of social and ecological phenomena that influence, and are likely to continue to influence, the state of ecosystems in the NEA. The development of the conceptual model raised four issues that complicate the implementation of the MSFD, the majority of which arose in the Pressures and State sections of the model: variability in the system, cumulative effects, ecosystem resilience, and conflicting policy targets. The achievement of GEnS targets for the marine environment requires the recognition and negotiation of trade-offs across a broad policy landscape involving a wide variety of stakeholders in the public and private sectors. Furthermore, potential cumulative effects may introduce uncertainty, particularly in selecting appropriate management measures. There also are endogenous pressures that society cannot control. This uncertainty is even more obvious when variability within the system, e.g., climate change, is accounted for. Also, questions related to the resilience of the affected ecosystem to specific pressures must be raised, despite a lack of current knowledge. Achieving good management and reaching GEnS require multidisciplinary assessments. The soft systems approach provides one mechanism for bringing multidisciplinary information together to look at the problems in a different light.

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“…The final steps, future scenarios, appraising management, monitoring and validation implications, require strategic oversight to aid coherence. A regional perspective is required to make best use of future scenarios, which are an underused resource for EIAs [61] and for exploring consequences of different courses of planning and strategic direction [62,63]. Formal approaches to scenario development are well established [61] and regional scenarios may support communication efforts to gain political and public commitment to sustainability by providing evidenced alternative future scenarios where trade-offs can be explored.…”

Section: A Candidate Approach To Cumulative Effects Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structuring cumulative effects assessments to support regional and local marine management and planning obligations

et al. 2018

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Cumulative effects assessments are a legal requirement in many jurisdictions and are key to informing marine policy. However, practice does not yet deliver fit-for-purpose assessments relative to sustainable development and environmental protection obligations. The complexity of cumulative effect questions, which are embedded in complex social-ecological systems, makes multiple, methodologically diverse assessments a necessity. Using the expansion of marine renewable energy developments in European Union waters as a case study, this paper explores how social-ecological systems thinking and cumulative effects assessment theory can combine to structure CEAs that better support the management and regulation of maritime activities at regional scales. A general perspective for cumulative effects assessment is proposed to remove ambiguity of intent and to orient assessments towards a common objective. Candidate principles for practice are presented for consideration. These principles are integrated into a stepped assessment approach that seeks to improve cumulative effects assessments of localised activities relative to the information needs of decision-makers implementing the ecosystem approach. Highlights• Understanding and managing cumulative effects is fundamental to sustainable development and requires regional coherence between assessments oriented towards resolving a common issue.

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Past and future challenges in managing European seas

Cited by 14 publications

References 42 publications

Integration across a metacoupled world

Integration across a metacoupled world

Challenges of achieving Good Environmental Status in the Northeast Atlantic

Structuring cumulative effects assessments to support regional and local marine management and planning obligations

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