About this book
Introduction
A Sea Change in a Changing Sea The oceans, seas and coastal areas encompass over 70% of the earth’s surface. They are a critical driver of the earth’s hydrologic cycle and climate system, important for c- merce, transport, and tourism, a source of economically important living marine resources, minerals such as hydrocarbons, as well as new pharmaceutical compounds. The marine environment provides essential habitats for thousands of marine living 1 2 resources, which in turn contribute significantly to global food security, employment, 3 and trade. Overall, the sea’s contribution to human welfare, in terms of market and non-market resources and environmental services, has been estimated at US$21 trillion/year (Costanza, 2000). However, despite the importance of the ocean realm to humans, there is a growing sense that human impacts are destabilizing this system. Some experts believe that current fishing levels are approaching or exceeding the total 4 productivity of the ocean ecosystem (National Research Council, 1999).
Keywords
Environmental Governance Exclusive Economic Zones Institutions International Law Law of the Sea Law of the Sea Convention development fisheries management organization
Editors and affiliations
- Syma A. Ebbin
- Alf Håkon Hoel
- Are K. Sydnes
- 1.Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental ChangeGrotonUSA
- 2.University of TromsøNorway
Bibliographic information