Adapting Coastal Zone Management to Ocean Acidification, 2016

Ocean acidification in concert with climate change and other anthropogenic stressors will lead to unprecedented and profound changes in coastal ecosystems. There is little knowledge of the processes of ocean acidification in Norwegian coastal areas, about the potential consequences, to what extent ocean acidification will interact with other ecosystem stressors, and how society may respond to this situation. Sustainable management of the coastal areas therefore hinge on the ability to address and mitigate ocean acidification and ocean acidification impacts. In order to make ocean acidification a governable issue, this project produced more knowledge about ocean acidification in the coastal zone, and gained new insight into how this knowledge can be co-produced with those who uses it for governance and industry purposes. Ocean acidification and climate change add uncertainties on several levels for coastal zone management, which raises the need for better knowledge on how governance regimes can operate in an effective way given such uncertainties.

Through two case studies and measurements in coastal areas in southern and northern Norway, the project provides new knowledge about ocean acidification and ocean acidification impacts on coastal areas and develop models for how this knowledge can be used for coastal management. A sustainable economic development in Norway depends on well-functioning coastal zone management that are able to effectively respond to ocean acidification and other drivers of change. This project contributed to new and relevant knowledge to ensure such management. The project also assessed the ability of coastal management institutions to adapt to ocean acidification in a situation involving complex uncertainties. The studies in Norway were complemented by a knowledge exchange with Scotland, which allowed for comparisons across different coastal management systems facing similar ocean acidification-challenges. Stakeholder representatives were involved at all stages of the project. It is a transdisciplinary project, including marine scientists, anthropologists and environmental governance scholars.

海洋酸化（Ocean Acidification）与气候变化及其他人为胁迫因子共同作用，将对海岸带生态系统造成前所未有的深刻改变。目前学界对挪威海岸带的海洋酸化过程、潜在影响、海洋酸化与其他生态系统胁迫因子的相互作用程度，以及社会应如何应对该状况的认知仍较为匮乏。因此，海岸带地区的可持续管理有赖于应对并减缓海洋酸化及其影响的能力。为使海洋酸化成为可管控的议题，本项目深化了海岸带海域海洋酸化相关认知，并就如何与将该知识应用于治理与产业实践的主体协同产出此类知识，获得了全新见解。海洋酸化与气候变化从多个维度为海岸带管理带来不确定性，这凸显了针对此类不确定性场景下治理机制如何高效运作的认知需求。
本项目通过挪威南部与北部海岸带海域的两项案例研究与实地监测，深化了海洋酸化及其对海岸带海域影响的相关认知，并构建了可将此类知识应用于海岸带管理的模型框架。挪威的可持续经济发展，依赖于能够有效应对海洋酸化及其他变化驱动因子的良性运作海岸带管理体系。本项目为构建此类管理体系提供了全新且贴合实际的认知支撑。此外，本项目还评估了海岸带管理机构在复杂不确定性场景下适应海洋酸化的能力。本项目依托与苏格兰的知识交流，补充完善了挪威境内的相关研究，从而可对面临相似海洋酸化挑战的不同海岸带管理体系开展对比分析。项目各阶段均邀请利益相关方代表参与。本项目属于跨学科研究，涵盖海洋科学家、人类学家与环境治理学者等多领域研究人员。