The identification of drivers and barriers influencing the initiation of commercial deep-sea mining (DSM) is key to developing research approaches to support the development of adequate DSM management frameworks. This study aims to provide a systems-level understanding of DSM drivers and barriers integrating both academic literature and diverse stakeholder perspectives (industry, NGOs, policy-makers, and academic researchers). To this end, we carry out a political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) analysis combining the results of a literature survey, a participatory workshop, and semi-structured interviews. The results provide a broad overview of scientific knowledge and uncertainties relating to DSM drivers and barriers identified in the literature, alongside a synthesis of emerging perspectives and concerns expressed by stakeholders during the participatory workshop and interviews. The discussion highlights both areas of consensus and divergence across stakeholder groups and the literature, as well as a critical reflection on the relevance and limitations of the PESTEL approach, highlighting research needs to further support holistic decision making around DSM.

Coastal nature-based solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognized for their multiple benefits to socio-ecological systems, including climate mitigation and adaptation (e.g. conservation, restoration and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems for climate). National climate plans, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) developed under the Paris Agreement, include coastal NbS as a practical and effective action to help countries achieve their climate and biodiversity targets. However, the absence of a standardized NDC structure and the lack of guidance about how NbS should be included in NDCs can hinder access to external funding for developing countries and prevent transparent reporting on progress at the international level. In this context, our aim is to understand how coastal NbS are currently included in NDCs by evaluating their alignment with the IUCN Global Standard for NbS. Our analysis focuses on the description of coastal NbS in the NDCs of Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), as they are among the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. Overall, we find that, for the 22 coastal NbS examined in the NDCs of PSIDS, the degree of alignment with the eight criteria of the IUCN Global Standard is insufficient or partial, with slightly better alignment with the standard in revised NDCs than in original NDCs. We discuss opportunities provided by the standardization of the description of coastal NbS in NDCs, in terms of access to funding and stock taking to monitor the effectiveness of implementation and progress towards long-term goals. We also discuss the relevance of using the IUCN Global Standard for reporting on NbS in NDCs for PSIDS.

In line with international frameworks and following the example of other countries, France conducted a national ecosystem services (ES) assessment in 2012. National assessments are intended to be both comprehensive and useful. In practice, these objectives are conflicting and difficult to reach, leading the experts in charge of the assessment to allocate effort according to their own priorities. In the case of the marine part of the French ES assessment, we consulted stakeholders at the national scale to better connect the assessment to the interest of the end-users. We implemented a participatory approach based on a combination of workshops and online questionnaires. We collected stakeholder's perception of (i) ES bundle; (ii) hierarchization of issues; (iii) specific issues of concern; and (iv) research needs for different types of marine ecosystems and groups of species. The results of the consultation assisted the assessment process in selecting key issues that necessitate in-depth analysis, and identifying discrepancies between stakeholders' perceptions and the scientific knowledge that need to be addressed. Stakeholders' perceptions were also mobilized as an additional source of data to inform decision-makers regarding the state of ecosystems and their ES. In the end, this work underlines the importance of stakeholder's consultation to support ES assessment and provides guidance for its implementation in the future. Our results can also inform research needs to support the conservation of marine ecosystems.

This paper aims to find mechanisms to align commercial interests with underwater noise reductions from commercial shipping. Through a survey and a series of interviews with representative stakeholders, we find that while acknowledging the wide variations in ports' specificities, port actions could support the reduction in underwater noise emissions from commercial shipping through changes in hull, propeller and engine design, and through operational measures associated with reduced speed, change of route and travel in convoy. Though the impact of underwater noise emissions on marine fauna is increasingly shown to be serious and wide-spread, there is uncertainty in the mechanisms, the contexts, and the levels which should lead to action, requiring precautionary management. Vessels owners are already dealing with significant investment and operating costs to comply with fuel, ballast water, NOx and CO2 requirements. To be successful, underwater noise programs should align with these factors. Based on a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) approach, we find a set of compromise solutions for a wide range of stakeholders. Ports could propose actions such as discounted port fees and reduced ship waiting times at ports, both depending on underwater noise performance. Cooperation between ports to scale up actions through environmental indexes and classification societies' notations, and integration with other ports' actions could help support this. However, few vessels know their underwater noise baseline as there are very few hydrophone stations, and measurement methodologies are not standardized. Costs increase and availability decreases dramatically if the vessel buyer wants to improve the noise profile. Local demands regarding airborne noise close to airports boosted global pressure on the aviation industry to adopt existing quieting technology. This experience of the aviation noise control could inform the underwater noise process.

The shifting policy focus towards Ecosystem Based Management in Fisheries (EBFM) requires the integration of knowledge and disciplines and the engagement of stakeholders to support decision-making processes. Scientists contribute to this through (i) participatory research projects, (ii) stakeholder partnerships and (iii) institutional scientific advice processes. Understanding the role of scientists in such processes, the nature of the interactions between scientists, stakeholders and managers in knowledge integration and the link between science and policy is an emerging field of research addressing transdisciplinary challenges. In 2018, Ifremer-UMR AMURE organized the workshop ‘Science, Partnership and Decision-support in Fisheries’ bringing together international scientists from natural and social sciences to conduct a review based on twenty concrete case studies. Findings indicate that science-stakeholder-manager partnerships for decision-support in fisheries can play an essential role in the transition to EBFM. To foster this transition, eight recommendations are presented that cover the roles of the different participants, the expectations of partnerships, capacity building, the integration of the social sciences, and funding structures. Further, it is recommended that future research and innovation framework programmes into sustainable fisheries and other ocean uses should explicitly include mechanisms to foster transdisciplinary approaches and the development of best practices. Building-up networks and developing reflexive approaches to review experiences and practices for transdisciplinary approaches in EFBM decision-support will contribute to design the next generation transdisciplinary platforms and generating actionable knowledge towards EBFM.

With growing interest in ocean uses for sustainable economic development, there is an increasing need for cross-sectoral marine spatial planning to balance different resource uses and conservation requirements. Ecosystem service assessments can provide the evidence to inform marine spatial planning decisions. Existing case studies suggest that these assessments can also have positive effects on the engagement of marine stakeholders in management and planning processes. Stakeholder engagement is a central element in marine spatial planning and other area-based management approaches. However, in a marine context, engagement is often difficult due to the lack of clear boundaries in the ocean, traditionally sectoral marine management and limited understanding of marine ecosystems. The study presented here investigated ecosystem service assessments as a tool for improving marine stakeholder engagement. Stakeholder experiences with ecosystem service assessments in six marine management and planning case studies were analysed to identify why, how and under what conditions ecosystem service assessments can support effective engagement. The findings show that under the right conditions, ecosystem service assessments can provide an inclusive and integrative platform for engagement, enable a better understanding of marine ecosystems, human-ecosystem interactions and management contexts, and support better stakeholder relationships. Stakeholder participation also improves the evidence base for ecosystem service assessments. Thus, involving stakeholders in ecosystem service assessments can improve marine spatial planning decisions and lead to better management and conservation outcomes for the ocean.

Blue-green infrastructure (BGI) is becoming a more popular means of dealing with climate change and climate change-related events. However, as the concept of BGI is relatively new, many urban and rural planners are unfamiliar with the barriers they may face during the lifecycle of a BGI project. As a result, some have been hesitant to adopt BGI solutions. The literature has unveiled many of the barriers that inhibit the successful development of BGI, however, this information has yet to be presented in a manner that allows for easy identification. In this paper, a systematic literature review is undertaken to develop a framework which will enable BGI planners to assess the potential threats of a BGI project throughout the project's lifecycle.

L'Arctique est, dans l’esprit collectif, associe aux ours polaires et aux explorateurs. Plusieurs industries operent cependant en Arctique, a travers l'Arctique, ou a la peripherie du cercle polaire arctique. La fonte de la banquise induite par le changement climatique ouvre l’acces aux ressources naturelles, aux routes maritimes et aux zones touristiques polaires, offrant ainsi de nouvelles opportunites de developpement economique en Arctique. Ces opportunites sont extremement attractives avec des gains potentiels tres eleves, mais pour des couts financiers, environnementaux et sociaux possiblement eleves dans un environnement qui reste financierement tres risque. Quelques acteurs ont commence a securiser un acces aux ressources de l'Arctique, semant les graines d'une « ruee vers le froid ». Cette « ruee vers le froid » ne s’est pas encore materialisee, ralentie principalement en raison de couts economiques eleves et de considerations diplomatiques. Le principal defi pour les decideurs locaux et nationaux est de concilier avec succes les perspectives et interets des differents acteurs en Arctique. Un renforcement de la capacite institutionnelle existante au rythme du developpement economique pourrait faciliter cette conciliation, permettant ainsi de realiser le potentiel de creation de richesses et de bien-etre avec des benefices mutuels. Les choix effectifs des differentes industries et pays de l'Arctique pour le developpement economique, la coordination et la cooperation vont determiner ce que sera l’Arctique de demain.

The implementation of the European integrated marine policy poses many scientific challenges. Among them, the knowledge and understanding of interactions between anthropogenic pressures and ecological components is an important issue, particularly to help define Good Environmental Status, environmental targets and monitoring programs of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008, MSFD). Assessment of cumulative effects of different pressures is a particularly complex issue requiring modeling tools and methods, as well as accurate data sets on human activities, anthropogenic pressures and ecological components. The results of these assessments are also uncertain and highly dependent on the calculation methods and assumptions, as well as on the data sets used. Within this context, we developed a technical and methodological approach to map the risk of cumulative effects of different pressures on benthic habitats. These developments were initiated as part of the implementation of the MSFD in France to contribute to the diagnosis of the marine environment. Here we provide a demonstrator to illustrate the feasibility for mapping the risk of cumulative effects of different pressures on benthic habitats, as well as the confidence index and the variability associated with this analysis. The method is based on a spatial analysis using a mapping of benthic habitats and their sensitivity to pressures, as well as the distribution and intensity of human activities and associated pressures. We collected and prepared relatively accurate and consistent data sets to describe human activities and benthic habitats. Data sets are embedded into a grid that facilitates the management and analysis of the data and exploitation of the results. The demonstrator consists of a relational database using the Spatial Query Language (SQL) language as well as data analysis scripts using the R language. The first demonstrator operations validated the main methodological and technical choices and helped to identify future developments needed to facilitate the appropriation and integration of these approaches in the implementation of public policies for the management of the marine environment.

The health of the ocean, central to human well-being, has now reached a critical point. Most fish stocks are overexploited, climate change and increased dissolved carbon dioxide are changing ocean chemistry and disrupting species throughout food webs, and the fundamental capacity of the ocean to regulate the climate has been altered. However, key technical, organizational, and conceptual scientific barriers have prevented the identification of policy levers for sustainability and transformative action. Here, we recommend key strategies to address these challenges, including (1) stronger integration of sciences and (2) ocean-observing systems, (3) improved science-policy interfaces, (4) new partnerships supported by (5) a new ocean-climate finance system, and (6) improved ocean literacy and education to modify social norms and behaviors. Adopting these strategies could help establish ocean science as a key foundation of broader sustainability transformations.

This data article provides indicators of Ecosystem Service (ES) supply for coral reefs, sandy beaches and coastal lagoons in different ecological states regarding eutrophication. 14 ES are considered: food through fisheries; material; molecules; coastal protection; nutrient regulation; pathogen regulation; climate regulation; support of recreational and leisure activities; contribution to a pleasant landscape; contribution to culture and territorial identity; emblematic biodiversity; habitat; trophic networks; recruitment. For each ecosystem 3 to 4 eutrophication states are described. Indicators of ES supply are filled on the basis of a literature review supplemented with expert-knowledge. A semi-quantification of the indicator value is finally provided. Tendencies and trade-offs between ES are analyzed in How does eutrophication impact bundles of ecosystem services in multiple coastal habitats using state-and-transition models [1].

Marine and coastal ecosystems play an important role in the balance of the environment as they interrelate and interact dynamically. One of the main problems faced by coastal areas in Indonesia is the high level of coastal erosion or abrasion. This study aims to identify how far the damage of abrasion / erosion that has occurred in the village, steps precautions of abrasion / erosion that has been taken in the village, assessing respondents' willingness-to-pay in order to contribute in the program that has been launched. The method used is Contingent Valuation method to get Willingness-To-Pay of respondent with Close Ended question. The sampling technique used non-probability and purposive sampling method. The results showed that there is an abrasion from 2003 to 2016 and the government has been conducting coastal rehabilitation programs since 2000 such as mangrove planting and hybrid engineering. The community's desire to contribute on coastal rehabilitation programs in the village is relatively high, 47 percent of respondents want to contribute. It is necessary to improve the community awareness to mangrove ecosystem and to the role of breakwater in order to reduce risk disaster and to develop an ecotourism in the area.

Since the 1990s, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has used global assessments of vulnerability to inform investment and action against the effects of climate change. Beyond the IPCC, others have undertaken global assessments to understand the vulnerability of coastal areas to climate change. Eight global vulnerability assessments are compared to understand similarities and differences in their results and the metrics used to construct a vulnerability index. Variations in objectives, conceptualizations of vulnerability, operationalization of the concepts, scope and depth of data drawn upon lead to contradictory rankings of priority areas for climate action between assessments. The increased complexity and scope of indicators make it difficult to untangle the root causes of such differences in rankings. It is also difficult to identify the degree to which climate change influences vulnerability rankings compared to other factors such as local environmental conditions and the capacity of populations to deal with environmental change. The way to undertake global assessments needs to be reshaped to better inform planning of international development along different objectives. Global level assessments need to be simplified and harmonized to better isolate the impact of climate change specific drivers. Decision-makers would make better use of such global assessments as scoping studies rather than expect comprehensive and robust priorities for investment. Such scoping studies can help target locations where supplementary, in-depth local analyses need to be conducted. At the local level, the possibility to collect context-specific information, particularly on adaptive capacity, allows the robust assessment of vulnerability.

One of the current major scientific challenges to sustain social-ecological systems is to improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of the relationships between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services. Here, we analyse the bundles of ecosystem services supplied by three coastal ecosystems (coastal lagoons, coral reefs and sandy beaches) along a gradient of eutrophication. Based on a state-and-transition model, we analyses the dynamic responses of ecological communities to environmental change and management actions. Although few exceptions are highlighted, increasing eutrophication in the three ecosystem types leads to a degradation of the ecosystem service bundles, particularly for nutrient and pathogen regulation/sequestration, or for the support of recreational and leisure activities. Despite few obstacles to their full use, state-and-transition models can be very powerful frameworks to integrate multiple functions and services delivered by ecosystems while accounting for their temporal dynamics.

Ecosystem resilience is the capacity of ecosystems to tolerate disorders without collapsing into different circumstances qualitatively controlled by a different set of processes. A robust ecosystem is one that can withstand shocks and rebuild itself when necessary. This study aims to identify the value of use-based economy and non-use value of current economy; calculating the total economic value of mangrove resources; and provide suggestions and recommendations based on observations in Timbulsloko, Sayung, Demak. The method used is economic valuation with total economic value technique. The sampling technique used non-probability and purposive sampling method. The results showed that the direct use value of mangroves was utilized by fisherman, fish pond farmers, branjang catchers, oystercatchers, trap makers, shop owner, grilled fish makers and shrimp chip makers. Indirect use value was derived from function as the breakwater, beach belt and hybrid engineering. Existing value was not less than 10 % of the direct use value. The total economic value was Rp. 6,361,430,639/year or about Rp. 202,335,580.1/ha/year. It is need to improve the community awareness to mangrove ecosystem and to the role of breakwater in order to reduce risk disaster and to develop an ecotourism in the area.

For a successful implementation of an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) management, it is necessary that all stakeholders involved in fisheries management are aware of the implications of fishing impacts on ecosystems and agree with the adopted measures to mitigate these impacts. In this context, there is a need for tools to share knowledge on the ecosystem effects of fisheries among these stakeholders. When managing bottom trawl fisheries under an EAF framework, one of the main concerns is the direct and indirect consequences of trawling impacts on benthic ecosystems. We developed a platform using the ExtendSim® software with a user-friendly interface that combines a simulation model based on existing knowledge, data collection and representation of predicted trawling impacts on the seabed. The platform aims to be a deliberation support tool for fisheries’ stakeholders and, simultaneously, raise public awareness of the need for good benthic community knowledge to appropriately inform EAF management plans. The simulation procedure assumes that trawling affects benthic communities with an intensity that depends on the level of fishing effort exerted on benthic communities and on the habitat characteristics (i.e. sediment grain size). Data to build the simulation comes from epifaunal samples from 18 study sites located in Mediterranean continental shelves subjected to different levels of fishing effort. In this work, we present the simulation outputs of a 50% fishing effort increase (and decrease) in four of the study sites which cover different habitats and different levels of fishing effort. We discuss the platform strengths and weaknesses and potential future developments.