Governing the Southern Ocean: The science-policy interface as thorny issue

• Published in: Environmental Science & Policy
• Main Authors: Choquet, Anne, Faure, Chloé, Danto, Anatole, Mazé, Camille
• Other Authors: Aménagement des Usages des Ressources et des Espaces marins et littoraux - Centre de droit et d'économie de la mer (AMURE), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), AgroParisTech, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR) (LEMAR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Arènes: politique, santé publique, environnement, médias (ARENES), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut d'Études Politiques IEP - Rennes-École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique EHESP (EHESP)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), CNRS, LTER
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2018
• Subjects: ACL; Antarctic; Environmental management; French Southern and Antarctic Lands; Long term social-ecological research; Fisheries management; Action of State at sea; Long term ecological research; Southern ocean; Action de l'Etat en Mer; Recherche écologique à long terme; Antarctique; Recherche socio-écosystémique à long terme; LTSER; ZATA; Gestion environnementale; Gestion des pêches; Zone Atelier Antarctique et Subantarctique; Terres australes et antarctiques françaises; Océan austral; LTER; TAAF; [SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environment and Society; [SHS.ENVIR]Humanities and Social Sciences/Environmental studies; [SHS.SCIPO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Political science; [SHS.DROIT]Humanities and Social Sciences/Law; [SHS.ANTHRO-SE]Humanities and Social Sciences/Social Anthropology and ethnology; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Austral; Southern Ocean; Antarc*; Antarctique*
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-01846595; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2018.06.017

International audience The Southern Ocean is a unique ecosystem with highly coveted marine resources. It includes the largest marine protected area anywhere, with management spread across national jurisdictions and a number of international bodies and cooperative arrangements. The area has local, national and international stakeholders with interests in an array of activities, such as fishing, tourism and scientific research. This article sheds light on the linkages between climate change and governance of Southern Ocean marine territories. It unravels the complexity of governing this marine region, in the process looking at biodiversity conservation, exploitation of resources and military activities. Using socio-historic analysis and ethnographic observation, it examines multiple decision-making areas, institutions, groups and actors. Issues examined in this artice include marine protected areas, fisheries management and environmental impacts of melting Antarctic ice and French subantarctic territories. These issues are viewed through the prisms of knowledge and policy – a knowledge-policy interface. Case studies highlight the interactions between human activities and climate change in Southern Ocean ecosystems. Real-world examples illustrate the governance of marine ecosystems and resources and demonstrate adaptations to environmental changes already affecting sub-Antarctic societies.