The oceans of the world provide millions of people with food and jobs, but they are under immense threat from a range of factors, including overexploitation and pollution – something which a global research programme is determined to address.
Now Nelson Mandela University (NMU) has joined an elite group of institutions and world-leading research centres in the R358m programme aimed at tackling these threats.
Though they cover more than 70% of the earth’s surface, the oceans are in peril due to several critical problems, including over-fishing, increasing plastic pollution, rising sea levels and acidification.
NMU was selected by the United Kingdom Research and Innovation’s Global Research Fund One Ocean Hub, which aims to transform the global response to these urgent challenges.
Eleven partner countries across the world are involved, as well as 86 organisations, including the University of Cape Town and Rhodes University.
Led by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow in the UK, the One Ocean Hub will bring together the interests and agendas of individuals, groups and organisations that rely on the oceans.
The goal is to realise a vision of an integrated and sustainable approach to managing their use.
NMU is one of numerous partners in this initiative, which is aimed at collectively tackling the world’s ocean challenges through a transdisciplinary approach.
This will see a number of top NMU researchers, including professors Patrick Vrancken, Mandy Lombard, Rose Boswell, Janine Adams and Hennie van As, and Dr Bernadette Snow and Dr Kerry Sink as well as postgraduate students working with the other partners in the hub.
A key priority will be to ensure the knowledge, experiences and rights of those mostreliant upon the oceans, and disproportionately affected by the failure to protect them, are recognised.
The team will set out to uncover the less tangible values of the oceans, and the hidden trade-offs in ocean decisionmaking. The objective is to ensure decision-making is based on evidence of risks and opportunities among the competing ocean uses.
The five-year programme is being funded by the hub.
Professor Elisa Morgera, director of the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law & Governance with the Law School, said: “Millions of people all over the world are entirely reliant upon the ocean for food, jobs and transport, yet over-exploitation, competing uses, pollution and climate change are pushing ocean ecosystems towards a tipping point.
“The One Ocean Hub will bridge the current disconnects across law, science and policy to empower local communities, woman and youth – who are particularly impacted by decision-making – to co-develop research and solutions.”
NMU’s deputy vice-chancellor for research and engagement, Prof Andrew Leitch, was delighted by the approval of funding for the hub.
“Being part of the international consortium that has been established, we look forward to actively supporting this ambitious project which will hopefully advance our knowledge to address global issues challenging our planet,” Leitch said.