Marine planning in Antarctica could be a model for the global ocean, suggests study published in Science

A new study published in the prestigious journal Science proposes a strategy to engage all stakeholders in the governance of the Antarctic Ocean through a climate-smart marine spatial planning (MSP) process.

The scientific article, "Taking climate-smart governance to the high seas," is co-authored by José C. Xavier, Associate Professor at the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra (DCV/FCTUC), and a researcher at the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE).

The Antarctic Ocean is vital to our planet: it influences sea level, regulates climate, and drives global ocean circulation. However, the resilience of Antarctic ecosystems is being threatened by increasing human activities such as tourism and commercial fishing, as well as the effects of climate change.

In areas beyond national jurisdiction (the high seas), climate-smart MSPs can address the impacts of climate change on a wider regional scale and in a more adaptive way to ensure long-term environmental and social resilience.

The Parties to the Antarctic Treaty have a historic opportunity to decide to develop a climate-smart MSP strategy for the Antarctic Ocean and pioneer the development of the first MSP approach in the high seas,' says the study leader, Visiting Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, MARE researcher and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Oxford (UK), Catarina Frazão Santos. Moreover, MSP in the Antarctic Ocean can serve as a model for the wider implementation of this approach in international and national waters around the planet,' she adds.

The researchers recommend four points for the Antarctic Treaty Parties to consider, which could be implemented through the creation of dedicated focus groups, to (i) diversify types of information and knowledge, (ii) have a vision for the future, (iii) ensure flexibility and dynamism, and (iv) centralise ocean health in decision-making.

Antarctica, together with the Arctic, is a 'starting point' for the impacts of climate change on a global scale. At the same time, it has a unique international governance structure—the Antarctic Treaty System—strong enough to ensure the implementation of climate-smart MSP based on decades of scientific research.

The Antarctic Treaty System brings together key stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of MSP in the region in a context of international cooperation," says José C. Xavier, Head of Delegation of Portugal at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings, who presented a paper on the subject in India this year, endorsed by several countries.

The development of climate-smart MSP in the Antarctic Ocean can guide decisions on the sustainable conservation and management of marine resources in a changing context, and provide a model for international waters around the planet.

The scientific article is available here.

_{Translation: Diana Taborda}