Introduction

Challenges to the Marine and Coastal Environment

Safeguarding the health, productivity and resilience of marine ecosystems is essential to the protection of environmental, social, cultural and economic values. To do this, we need to adopt inter – and trans- disciplinary approaches at a Global, National, State and Local level to address the following themes:

1. Building a sustainable Blue Economy

Building a sustainable Blue Economy relies on the integration of the three pillars of sustainability:

• Social (e.g. quality of life, equitability of resources, and ocean literacy)
• Economic (e.g. building industry and jobs), and
• Environmental (e.g. ensuring a healthy, productive, and biodiverse environment).

Industry, government and other sectors need to work together with the community and First Nations People to support economic growth while ensuring equitability of resources and environmental protection.

2. Maintaining Maritime Sovereignty, Safety, and Security

In order to maintain maritime sovereignty, safety and security an extensive National Oceanographic Modelling system needs to be developed. The modelling system would provide information about geological hazards, atmospheric conditions, sea state and allow long term and predictive modelling to allow, for example, early warning systems for extreme marine events like cyclones or sea level rise. It will provide accurate, current information that can be used by defence as well as multiple industries that use the marine estate in an accessible format (NMSC, 2015).

3. Food Security

In 2023, it was estimated that 1 in 11 people globally were suffering from hunger (WHO, 2024). Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture can contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 (end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture) by improving production of ocean resources, distribution and equitable access (Farmery et al., 2021). To achieve this, fisheries need to be managed sustainably and non-destructive, and aquaculture operations need to ensure both animal and habitat health are maintained, and biosecurity measures are effective. Together, fisheries and aquaculture can go a long way towards feeding the worlds population.

4. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation

There are a number of threats to biodiversity including climate impact, pollution, and over exploitation. Comprehensive mapping of the marine environment, monitoring of ecosystems, predictive modelling, identifying options for remediation and restoration, and developing and maintaining marine protected areas, are essential to conserve biodiversity. Marine protected areas are long-term conservation no take zones which protect and promote biodiversity, ecosystem services and cultural or heritage values. Conserving biodiversity can boost sustainable fisheries and provide further economic benefit through tourism.

5. Cleaner Oceans

Pollution has a global distribution and extends from the poles down to the deepest part of the ocean in the Mariana Trench. There are five main classes of pollution.

1. Physical pollution – includes thermal, ionizing radiation, solar radiation, and particulate matter (insoluble particles)
2. Chemical Pollution – organic or inorganic
3. Biological – genetic alteration or disease
4. Oxygen Demanding Wastes
5. Litter

In order to build a sustainable marine future, pollution needs to be prevented and sites suffering remediated.

6. Climate Change Adaptations and Ocean Solutions to Climate Change

Increased CO₂ in the atmosphere is causing a number of impacts including increased oceanic temperatures, ocean acidification, extreme weather conditions, and change in distribution of species. The Ocean has an incredible capacity to help mitigate the impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration and storage termed ‘Blue Carbon’ (e.g. seaweed, mangroves and saltmarsh take up carbon and act as a ‘sink’).

7. Building Community Resilience

As a result of global climate change, we are seeing an increase in extreme weather events and rising oceans. Predictive modelling is required to be able to accurately determine the severity of extreme weather events and height sea level is likely to rise. Understanding these challenges, we can build community resilience through providing early warning systems, use infrastructure to maintain current coastal development, and sustainably build new coastal developments.

8. Ocean Equity

Achieving equity of ocean resources requires ensuring that everyone has equal access to the benefits of these resources. To address ocean equity, socio-economic disparities need to be addressed, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture practices need to be adopted globally, and biodiversity needs to be preserved.

9. Community Engagement and Ocean Literacy

Improved understanding of, and connection to, the ocean by the general public through community engagement and ocean literacy is essential to achieve sustainable use and management of ocean resources. This can be done through strengthening education and outreach, citizen science, and collaboration with community partners.

10. Collaborative Management: Indigenous Empowerment

Collaborative management including Indigenous empowerment is imperative to achieving the challenges faced by our oceans. A transdisciplinary approach needs to be adopted incorporating Indigenous, social, economic and environmental perspectives to sustainably manage ocean resources and build the blue economy.