Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T12:40:20.863Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ocean Space and the Anthropocene, new notions in geosciences? – An essay∙

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2014

J.H. Stel
J.H. Stel*
Affiliation:
International Centre for Integrated assessment and Sustainable development (ICIS), University Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands. Email: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Two notions, Ocean Space and the Anthropocene, are discussed. The first is occasionally used in legal and governance literature, and in the media. The Anthropocene, however, is widely applied in the global change research community and the media. The notion of ocean space stands for a holistic, system science approach combined with 4D thinking from the ocean, and the processes within it, towards the land. Ocean space is in fact a social-ecological concept that deals with sustainability challenges which are the consequence of the complex interactions between humans and the marine environment on all scales. Ocean space is, on a human scale, impressively large. On a planetary scale, however, it is insignificant, although it has been an ancient feature of the Earth for the last four billion years or so. Yet, ocean space is a critical player in the Earth System; it is central to climate regulation, the hydrological and carbon cycles and nutrient flows, it balances levels of atmospheric gases, it is a source of raw materials vital for medical and other uses, and a sink for anthropogenic pollutants. The notion also encompasses issues such as exploration, adventure, science, resources, conservation, sustainability, etc., and should be an innovative and attractive outreach instrument for the media. Finally, it marks the fundamental change in ocean exploration in the twenty-first century in which ocean-observing systems, and fleets of robots, are routinely and continuously providing quality controlled data and information on the present and future states of ocean space. Advocates of the notion of the Anthropocene argue that this new epoch in geological time, commenced with the British industrial revolution. To date, the Anthropocene has already been subdivided into three stages. The first of these coincides with the beginning of the British industrial revolution around 1800. This transition quickly transformed a society which used natural energy sources into one that uses fossil fuels. The present high-energy society of more than seven billion people mostly with highly improved living standards and birth rates, and a global economy, is the consequence. The downside of this development comprises intensive resource and land use as well as large-scale pollution of the (marine) environment. The first stage of the Anthropocene ended abruptly after the Second World War when a new technology push occurred, leading to the second stage: ‘the Great Acceleration’ (1945-2015) followed by the third: ‘Stewards of the Earth’. Here it is concluded that the notion of the Anthropocene reflects a hierarchical or individualistic perspective, often leading to a ‘business as usual’ management style, and ‘humanises’ the geological time scale. The use of this notion is not supported. However, it is already very popular in the media. This again might lead to overestimating the role of humans in nature, and might facilitate an even more destructive attitude towards it, through the application of geo-engineering. The latter could be opening another Pandora's box. Instead we should move to a more sustainable future in which human activities are better fine tuned to the environment that we are part of. In this respect, transition management is an interesting new paradigm.

Keywords

Oceanographyenvironmental changeanthropogenic pollutionsustainable developmenttransitionsoutreach
Type
Research Article
Information
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences , Volume 92 , Issue 2-3 , September 2013 , pp. 193 - 211
Copyright
Copyright © Stichting Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 2013

Footnotes

∙

In: Mulder, E.W.A., Jagt, J.W.M. & Schulp, A.S. (eds): The Sunday's child of Dutch earth sciences - a tribute to Bert Boekschoten on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

References

Arrhenius, S., 1896. On the influence of carbonic acid in the air upon the temperature of the ground. The London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science (5)41: 237–275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ballesta, L., Cousteau, J.-M. & Descamp, P., 2007. Planet Ocean: voyage to the heart of the marine realm. National Geographic Society (Washington DC), 368 pp.Google Scholar
Beard, M., 2009. Pompeii: het dagelijks leven in een Romeinse stad. Athenaeum-Polak & Van Gennep (Amsterdam), 458 pp.Google Scholar
Beaumont, N.J., Austen, M.C., Atkins, J., Burdon, D., Degraer, S., Dentinho, T.P., Derous, S., Holm, P., Horton, T., Van Ierland, E., Marboe, A.H., Starkey, D.J., Townsend, M. & Zarzycki, T., 2007. Identification, definition and quantification of goods and services provided by marine biodiversity: implications for the ecosystem approach. Marine Pollution Bulletin 54: 253–265.Google Scholar
Beaumont, N.J., Austen, M.C., Mangi, S.C. & Townsend, M., 2008. Economic valuation for the conservation of marine biodiversity. Marine Pollution Bulletin 56: 386–396.Google Scholar
Borgese, E. Mann, 1975. The drama of the oceans. Abrams (New York), 258 pp.Google Scholar
Borgese, E. Mann, 1986. The future of the ocean: a report to the club of Rome. Montreal Harvest House (Montreal), xvl + 144 pp.Google Scholar
Borgese, E. Mann, 1998. The oceanic circle. Governing the seas as a global resource. United Nations University Press (Tokyo/New York/Paris), 240 pp.Google Scholar
Borgese, E. Mann, 2000. The economics of the common heritage. Ocean andCoastal Management 43: 763–779.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borsos, E., Makra, L., Beczi, R., Vitdnyi, B. & Szentpeteri, M., 2003. Anthropogenic air pollution in ancient times. Acta Climatologica et Chrologica 36/37: 2–15.Google Scholar
Bouchet, P., 2006. The magnitude of marine biodiversity. In: Duarte, C. (ed.): The exploration of marine biodiversity: scientific and technological challenges. Fundacion BBVA (Bilbao): 31–62.Google Scholar
Brimblecombe, P., 1987. The Big Smoke: a history of air pollution in London since medieval times. Methuen (London), 185 pp.Google Scholar
Chamberlin, T.C., 1897. A group of hypotheses bearing on climatic changes. Journal of Geology 5: 653–683. doi:10.1086/607921.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costanza, R., D'Arge, R., De Groot, R., Farber, S., Grosso, M. & Hannon, B., 1997. The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature 387: 253–260.Google Scholar
Costanza, R., Graumlich, L. & Steffen, W. (eds), 2007. Integrated history and future of people on Earth (Dahlem Workshop Report 96). MIT Press (Cambridge, MA), 495 pp.Google Scholar
Crutzen, P.J. & Stoermer, E.F., 2000. The Anthropocene global change. IGBP Newsletter 41: 17–18.Google Scholar
Crutzen, P.J., 2002. Geology of mankind: the Anthropocene. Nature 415: 23.Google Scholar
Crutzen, P.J. & Schwägerl, C., 2011. Living in the Anthropocene: towards a new global ethos. Climate Energy Policy & Politics, Pollution & Health Science & Technology Asia. Yale Environment 360 (posted on 24 01 2011). http://e360.yale.edu/feature/living_in_the_anthropocene_toward_a_new_global_ethos/2363/ Google Scholar
Daily, G., 1997. Nature's services: societal dependence on natural ecosystems. Island Press (Washington), 412 pp.Google Scholar
DeGroot, R.S., Wilson, M.A. & Boumans, R.M.J., 2002. A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services, special issue on the dynamics and value of ecosystem services: integrating economic and ecological perspectives. Ecological Economics 41: 393–408.Google Scholar
Earle, S., 2009. The world is blue: how our fate and the ocean's are one. NationalGeographic Books (Washington DC), 303 pp.Google Scholar
Ellis, E.C., Goldewijk, K.K., Siebert, S., Lightman, D. & Ramankuttty, N., 2010. Anthropogenic transformation of the biomes, 1700 to 2000. Global Ecology and Biogeography 19: 589–606.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FAO, 2010. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2010. FAO (Rome), 197 pp.Google Scholar
FAO, 2012. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012. FAO (Rome), 209 pp.Google Scholar
Frank, A.G., 1998. ReOrient: global economy in the Asian age. University of California Press (Berkeley), xxix + 416 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garrison, T., 2009. Oceanography: an invitation to marine science. Cengage Learning, Inc. (Belmont), 608 pp.Google Scholar
Geels, F.W., 2002. Understanding the dynamics of technological transitions, a co-evolutionary and socio-technical analysis. Unpublished PhD thesis, Twente University Press (Enschede), 426 pp.Google Scholar
Gladwell, M., 2004. The tipping point: how little things can make a big difference. Little, Brown and Company (New York), 279 pp.Google Scholar
Gould, S.J. & Eldredge, N., 1977. Punctuated equilibria: the tempo and mode of evolution reconsidered. Paleobiology 3: 115–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grin, J., Rotmans, J. & Schot, J., in cooperation with Geels, F. & Loorbach, D., 2010. Transitions to sustainable development – Part 1. New directions in the study of long term transformative change. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group (New York): 103–220.Google Scholar
Grosskurth, J., 2008. Regional sustainability: tools for integrated governance. ICIS, Maastricht University (Maastricht), 223 pp.Google Scholar
Halpern, B.S., McLeod, K.L., Rosenberg, A.A. & Crowder, L.B., 2008a. Managing for cumulative impacts in ecosystem-based management through ocean zoning. Ocean & Coastal Management 51: 203–211.Google Scholar
Halpern, B.S., Walbridge, S., Selkoe, K.A., Kappel, C.V., Micheli, F., D'Agrosa, C., Bruno, J.F., Casey, K.S., Ebert, C., Fox, H.E., Fujita, R., Heinemann, D., Lenihan, H.S., Madin, E.M.P., Perry, M.T., Selig, E.R., Spalding, M., Steneck, R. & Watson, R., 2008b. A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science 319: 948–952.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Halpern, B.S., Longo, C., Hardy, D., McLeod, K., Samhouri, J.F., Katonas, S.K., Kleisner, K., Lester, S.E., O'Leary, J., Ranelletti, M., Rosenberg, A.A., Scarborough, C., Selig, E.R., Best, B.D., Brumbauch, D.R., Chapin, F.S., Crowder, L.B., Daly, K.L., Doney, S.C., Elfes, C., Fogarty, M.J., Gaines, S.D., Jacobsen, K.I., Karrer, L.B., Leslie, H.M., Neeley, E., Pauly, D., Polasky, S., Ris, B., St.Martin, K., Stones, G.S., Sumaila, U.R. & Zeller, D., 2012. An index to assess the health and benefits of the global ocean. Nature 488: 615–620 (doi:10.1038/nature11397).Google Scholar
Hein, L., Koppen, K., De Groot, R. & Van Ierland, E., 2006. Spatial scales, stakeholders and the valuation of ecosystem services. Ecological Economics 57: 209–228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hisschemöller, M. & Hoppe, R., 1995. Coping with intractable controversies: the case for problem structuring in policy design and analysis. Knowledge, Technology and Policy 8: 40–60.Google Scholar
Hobson, J.M., 2004. The Eastern origins of Western civilisation. Cambridge University Press (Cambridge), 367 pp.Google Scholar
Holden, S.J., Holden, S., Washaw, T., Ledesma, L.V. & Beltra, D., 2007. Planet Ocean: photo stories from the ‘Defending our Oceans’ voyage. New Internationalist (Oxford), 176 pp.Google Scholar
Holling, C.S., Gunderson, L.H. & Ludwig, D., 2002. In quest of a theory of adaptive change. In: Gunderson, L.H. & Holling, C.S. (eds): Panarchy: understanding transformations in systems of humans and nature. Island Press (Washington DC): 3–22.Google Scholar
Huxley, A., 1932. The brave new world. Chatto & Windus (London), 288 pp.Google Scholar
Kemp, R. & Martens, P., 2007. Sustainable development: how to manage something that is subjective and never can be achieved? Sustainability: Science, Practice & Policy 3: 5–14.Google Scholar
Le Roy, E., 1927. L'exigence idéaliste et le fait de l'évolution. Boivin (Paris), 442 pp.Google Scholar
Lewis, D., 1978. The voyaging stars. Sydney (William Collins), 208 pp.Google Scholar
Loorbach, D., 2007. Transition management; new mode of governance for sustainable development. DRIFT, Erasmus Universiteit (Rotterdam), 327 pp.Google Scholar
Loorbach, D., 2010. Transition management for sustainable development: a prescriptive, complexity-based governance framework. Governance 23: 161–183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Makra, L. & Brimblecombe, P., 2004. Selections from the history of environmental pollution, with special attention to air pollution. International Journal of Environment and Pollution 22: 641–656.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marsh, G.P., 1864. Man and nature: or, physical geography as modified by human action. C. Scribner (New York), 656 pp.Google Scholar
Martens, P., 2006. Sustainability: science or fiction? Sustainibility: Science, Practice & Policy 2: 36–41.Google Scholar
McKay, B. & Walmsley, A., 2003. Maori time: notions of space, time and building form in the South Pacific. In: Franz, J. (ed.): IDEA 2003. Journal of the Interior Design Educators Association: 85–95.Google Scholar
Mészáros, I., 2001. A short history of the earth. Vince Publisher Ltd (Budapest), 168 pp.Google Scholar
MEA (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment), 2005. Ecosystems and human well-being: current state and trends assessment. Island Press (Washington DC), 137 pp.Google Scholar
Naber, H., Lange, G.-L. & Hatziolos, M., 2008. Valuation of marine ecosystems' services: a gap analysis. Worldbank (Washington DC), 57 pp.Google Scholar
Noone, K., Sumaila, R. & Diaz, R.J., 2012. Valuing the ocean (Draft executive summary). Stockholm Environment Institute (Stockholm), 14 pp. (www.clicandsea.fr/emploi-maritime/actu/document/2012/Valuing-the-ocean_resume.pdf) Google Scholar
Offermans, A., 2012. The perspective method. Towards socially robust river management. ICIS, Maastricht University (Maastricht), 250 pp.Google Scholar
Ostrom, E., Dietz, T., Dolsak, N., Stern, P.C., Stonich, S. & Weber, E.U., 2000. The drama of the commons. National Academy Press (Washington DC), 534 pp.Google Scholar
Pinet, P.R., 2009. Invitation to oceanography. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. (Ontario), 626 pp.Google Scholar
Rip, A. & Kemp, R., 1998. Technological change. In: Rayner, S. & Malone, E.L. (eds): Human choice and climate change. Batelle Press (Columbus, Ohio): 327–399.Google Scholar
Rittel, H.W.J. & Webber, M.M., 1973. Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Science 4: 155–169.Google Scholar
Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, Å., Chapin, F.S. III, Lambin, E.F., Lenton, T.M., Scheffer, M., Folke, C., Schellnhuber, H.J., Nykvist, B., de Wit, C.A., Hughes, T., van der Leeuw, S., Rodhe, H., Sörlin, S., Snyder, P.K., Costanza, R., Svedin, U., Falkenmark, M., Karlberg, L., Corell, R.W., Fabry, V.J., Hansen, J., Walker, B., Liverman, D., Richardson, K., Crutzen, P. & Foley, J.A., 2009a. A safe operating space for humanity. Nature 461: 472–475.Google Scholar
Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, Å., Chapin, F.S. III, Lambin, E.F., Lenton, T.M. & Scheffer, M., 2009b. Planetary boundaries: exploring the safe operating space for humanity. Ecology and Society 14: 32.Google Scholar
Rotmans, J., 2005. Maatschappelijke innovatie: tussen droom en werkelijkheid staat complexiteit. Erasmus University (Rotterdam), 87 pp.Google Scholar
Rotmans, J., 2012. In het oog van de orkaan. Nederland in transitie. Aeneas (Boxtel), 269 pp.Google Scholar
Rotmans, J., Kemp, R. & VanAsselt, M.B.A., 2001. More evolution than revolution. Transition management in public policy. Foresight 3: 15–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rotmans, J. & Loorbach, D., 2010. Towards a better understanding of transitions and their governance. A systematic and reflexive approach. In: Grin, J., Rotmans, J. & Schot, J., in co-operation with Geels, F. & Loorbach, D. Transitions to sustainable development - Part 1. New directions in the study of long term transformative change. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group (New York): 103–220.Google Scholar
Ruddiman, W.F., 2007. Plows, plagues, and petroleum. How humans took control of climate. Princeton University Press (Princeton, New Jersey), 224 pp.Google Scholar
Scheffer, M., 2009. Critical transitions in nature and society. Princeton University Press (Princeton, New Jersey), 400 pp.Google Scholar
Smil, V., 2010. Energy transitions: history, requirements, prospects. Praeger (Westport), 178 pp.Google Scholar
Steffen, W., Crutzen, P.J. & McNeill, J.R., 2007. The Anthropocene: are humans now overwhelming the great forces of Nature? Ambio 36: 614–621.Google Scholar
Steffen, W., Persson, Å., Deutsch, L., Zalasiewicz, J.K., Williams, M., Richardson, K., Crumley, C., Crutzen, P., Folke, C., Gordon, L., Molina, M., Ramanathan, V., Rockström, J., Scheffer, M., Schnellhuber, H.J. & Svedin, U., 2011. The Anthropocene: from global change to planetary stewardship. Ambio 40: 739–761.Google Scholar
Steinberg, P.E., 2001. The social construction of the ocean [Cambridge Studies in International Relations 78]. Cambridge University Press (Cambridge, UK), 244 pp.Google Scholar
Stel, J.H., 2002. Mare Nostrum – Mare Liberum – Mare sit Aeternum, duurzaam gebruik van de oceanische ruimte. Maastricht University (Maastricht), 47 pp.Google Scholar
Stel, J.H., 2003. Society and sustainable use of the Exclusive Economic Zones. In: Dahlin, H., Flemming, N.C., Nittis, K. & Petersson, S.E. (eds): Building the European capacity in operational oceanography. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on EuroGOOS. Elsevier Oceanography Series 69: 592–597.Google Scholar
Stel, J.H., 2006. Governance of Europe's Exclusive Economic Zones, a vision. In: Dahlin, H., Flemming, N.C., Marchand, P. & Petersson, S.E. (eds): European operational oceanography: present and future. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on EuroGOOS. European Communities: 302–311.Google Scholar
Stel, J.H., 2007. Op weg naar … Een KNMI voor de Noordzee. RWS Report (Den Haag), 110 pp.Google Scholar
Stel, J.H., 2010. Multilevel governance of Ocean Space, a challenge for the informed society of tomorrow. Proceedings of International Conference 50 years of Education and Awareness Raising for Shaping the Future of the Oceans and Coasts, St. Petersburg 27–30 04 2010. Russian State Hydrometeorological University (St. Petersburg): 98–115.Google Scholar
Stel, J.H., 2012. De oceaan anders bekeken. ACCO (Leuven), 364 pp.Google Scholar
Stel, J.H. & Loorbach, D., 2004. Governance of Exclusive Economic Zones. In: A gateway to sustainable development. Proceedings of the 30th International Conference Pacem in Maribus – a year after Johannesburg. Ocean Governance and Sustainable Development: Oceans and Coasts a glimpse into the future. International Ocean Institute (Malta): 102–116.Google Scholar
Stoppani, A., 1873. Corsa di geologia. Milano (Bernardoni & Brigola), 504 pp.Google Scholar
Tàbara, J.D. & Pahl-Wolst, C., 2007. Sustainability learning in natural resource use and management. Ecology and Society 12: 1–15.Google Scholar
The Economist, 2012. 20,000 colleagues under the sea. Fleets of robot submarines will change oceanography (9 06 2012). www.economist.com/node/21556551.Google Scholar
Thompson, M., Ellis, R.J. & Wildavsky, A., 1990. Cultural theory. Westview Press (Boulder, Colorado)/Praeger (Westport, Connecticut), 286 pp.Google Scholar
UNCTACT, 2012. Review of maritime transport 2012. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (New York), 176 pp.Google Scholar
Valkering, P., 2009. Toddling long the River Meuse: integrated assessment and participatory agent-based modelling to support river management. ICIS, Maastricht University (Maastricht), 255 pp.Google Scholar
Van Asselt, M.B.A., 2000. Perspectives on uncertainity and risks: the PRIMA approach to decision support. Kluwer Academic Publishers (Dordrecht), 452 pp.Google Scholar
Van der Brugge, R., 2009. Transition dynamics in social-ecological systems: the case of Dutch water management. DRIFT (Rotterdam), 264 pp.Google Scholar
Vernadski, V.I., 1998. The biosphere (translated and annotated version from the original of 1926). Copernicus/Springer (New York), 192 pp.Google Scholar
Vidas, D., 2010. Responsibility for the seas. In: Vidas, D. (ed.): Law, technology and science for oceans in globalization. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers / Brill (Den Haag): 3–40.Google Scholar
WCED, 1987. Our common future. Oxford University Press (Oxford), 398 pp.Google Scholar
Williams, C. & Millington, A., 2004. The diverse and contested meanings of sustainable development. The Geographical Journal 170: 88–104.Google Scholar
Williams, M., Zalasiewicz, J., Haywood, A. & Ellis, M., 2011. The Anthropocene: a new epoch of geological time? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A369: 835–1111.Google Scholar
WWF, 2012. Living planet report 2010: biodiversity, biocapacity and development. WWF (Gland), 162 pp.Google Scholar
Worm, B., Barbier, E.B., Beaumont, N., Duffy, J.E., Folke, C., Halpern, B.S., Jackson, J.B.C., Lotze, H.K., Micheli, F., Palumbi, S.R., Sala, E., Selkoe, K.A., Stachowicz, J. & Watson, R., 2006. Impacts of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem services. Science 314: 787–790.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yin, Y., Cohen, S. & Huang, G.H., 2000. Global climate change and regional sustainable development: the case of Mackenzie Basin in Canada. Integrated Assessment 1: 21–37.Google Scholar
Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., Smith, A., Barry, T.L., Bown, P.R., Rawson, P., Brenchley, P., Cantrill, D., Coe, A.E., Gale, A., Gibbard, P.L., Gregory, F.J., Hounslow, M., Kerr, A., Pearson, P., Knox, R., Powell, P., Waters, C., Marshall, J., Oates, M. & Stone, P., 2008. Are we now living in the Anthropocene? GSA Today 18: 4–8.Google Scholar
Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., Steffen, W. & Crutzen, P., 2010. The new world of the Anthropocene. Environment Science and Technology 44: 2228–2231. (doi:10.1021/es903118j).Google Scholar
Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., Fortey, R., Smith, A., Barry, T.L., Coe, A.L., Bown, P.R., Rawson, P.F. et al., 2011. Stratigraphy of the Anthropocene. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A369: 1036–1055.Google Scholar