TY - JOUR

T1 - European policies and legislation targeting ocean acidification in european waters - Current state

AU - Galdies, Charles

AU - Bellerby, Richard

AU - Canu, Donata

AU - Chen, Wenting

AU - Garcia-Luque, Enrique

AU - Gašparović, Blaženka

AU - Godrijan, Jelena

AU - Lawlor, Paul J.

AU - Maes, Frank

AU - Malej, Alenka

AU - Panagiotaras, Dionisios

AU - Romera, Beatriz Martinez

AU - Reymond, Claire E.

AU - Rochette, Julien

AU - Solidoro, Cosimo

AU - Stojanov, Robert

AU - Tiller, Rachel

AU - Torres de Noronha, Isabel

AU - Uścinowicz, Grzegorz

AU - Natașa Vaidianu, Vaidianu

AU - Walsh, Cormac

AU - Guerra, Roberta

N1 - This article is based upon work from COST Action CA15217 - Ocean Governance for Sustainability - challenges, options and the role of science, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology www.cost.eu) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. These Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation. Authors Charles Galdies and Roberta Guerra were funded by Short-Term Scientific Missions ‘MOsAiGC ‘and ‘ATlaNTES’ Grants COST-STSM-CA15217-Charles Galdies and COST-STSM-CA15217-40699 respectively within the COST Action OCEANGOV. Author Rachel Tiller would like to acknowledge the contributions of the H2020 project GoJelly (grant number 774499) in supporting the work on governance perspective on biodiversity protection in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). Author Alenka Malej wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Mojca Dolinar from ARSO, Ministry of Environment of Republic of Slovenia. Author Natașa Vaidianu would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation, through project number PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2016-2491.

PY - 2020/8/1

Y1 - 2020/8/1

N2 - Ocean acidification (OA) is a global problem with profoundly negative environmental, social and economic consequences. From a governance perspective, there is a need to ensure a coordinated effort to directly address it. This study reviews 90 legislative documents from 17 countries from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK that primarily border the sea. The primary finding from this study is that the European national policies and legislation addressing OA is at best uncoordinated. Although OA is acknowledged at the higher levels of governance, its status as an environmental challenge is greatly diluted at the European Union Member State level. As a notable exception within the EEA, Norway seems to have a proactive approach towards legislative frameworks and research aimed towards further understanding OA. On the other hand, there was a complete lack of, or inadequate reporting in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive by the majority of the EU Member States, with the exception of Italy and the Netherlands. We argue that the problems associated with OA and the solutions needed to address it are unique and cannot be bundled together with traditional climate change responses and measures. Therefore, European OA-related policy and legislation must reflect this and tailor their actions to mitigate OA to safeguard marine ecosystems and societies. A stronger and more coordinated approach is needed to build environmental, economic and social resilience of the observed and anticipated changes to the coastal marine systems.

AB - Ocean acidification (OA) is a global problem with profoundly negative environmental, social and economic consequences. From a governance perspective, there is a need to ensure a coordinated effort to directly address it. This study reviews 90 legislative documents from 17 countries from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK that primarily border the sea. The primary finding from this study is that the European national policies and legislation addressing OA is at best uncoordinated. Although OA is acknowledged at the higher levels of governance, its status as an environmental challenge is greatly diluted at the European Union Member State level. As a notable exception within the EEA, Norway seems to have a proactive approach towards legislative frameworks and research aimed towards further understanding OA. On the other hand, there was a complete lack of, or inadequate reporting in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive by the majority of the EU Member States, with the exception of Italy and the Netherlands. We argue that the problems associated with OA and the solutions needed to address it are unique and cannot be bundled together with traditional climate change responses and measures. Therefore, European OA-related policy and legislation must reflect this and tailor their actions to mitigate OA to safeguard marine ecosystems and societies. A stronger and more coordinated approach is needed to build environmental, economic and social resilience of the observed and anticipated changes to the coastal marine systems.

KW - Geography

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087748694&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103947

DO - 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103947

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85087748694

VL - 118

JO - Marine Policy

JF - Marine Policy

SN - 0308-597X

M1 - 103947

ER -