Sida Development Area Symposium

Marine and coastal social-ecological systems are experiencing increasing and interacting pressures from human actions in an increasingly interconnected global society, expressed in climate challenges like ocean acidification and sea level rise, intense fishing pressure, widespread pollution, changes in marine biodiversity, large-scale aquaculture and general coastal development. Governance in this context is a major challenge at local, national, regional and global scales, in order to secure the flow of goods and services for human well-being, as well as to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability.

Today, approximately 3 billion people — about half of the world's population — live within 200 kilometres of the coastline, and many of these in developing countries are considered vulnerable and poor. People in low income countries and small island states are already suffering from the effects of e.g. extreme temperatures on the coastal ecosystems and increasing sea levels, and recent findings with respect to ocean acidification indicates that this process has gone far beyond what scientists had envisioned.

Have the oceans already reached a tipping point and are there other marine and coastal thresholds that we are approaching with effects on coastal social-ecological systems and livelihoods? How will these challenges change the vulnerability of coastal people, specifically those depending on marine resources for their daily survival? What are the options for mitigating impacts and strategies for adaptation? Are there options for transformation to improved conditions – radically or only long term?

The main objective is to provide a review of the scientific basis of the major present and future challenges for ocean and coastal areas in the face of climate driven change. The intention is to provide a holistic approach and promote discussion on the effects on especially poor peoples livelihoods and the developmental challenges to counteract this by possible adaptation and mitigation measures.

An additional objective is to lift the marine issues for the development agenda and needs and arrive at a general understanding about the importance of large ocean and coastal scale challenges.