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.