Our Changing Oceans Conference

National Council For Science And The Environment/Cedd, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The PI requests funding to support the 11th National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment on Our Changing Oceans, to be held January 19-21, 2011, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. Our Changing Oceans Conference will provide a forum for exploring the crisis facing our oceans, the new knowledge and tools needed, and the policies and governance to protect and sustain oceans. It will be an interactive three-day event including keynotes, plenary sessions, symposia and breakout sessions focused on eight major themes: 1) oceans and carbon; 2) coastal ocean change and the potential for adaptation; 3) oceans and living marine ecosystems; 4) oceans and human health; 5) how the oceans affect non-coastal regions; 6) tipping points; 7) white Arctic versus blue Arctic; and 8) exploring to understand change. Broader Impacts: The broader impacts include sharing the current state of science on ocean issues and linking science to policy where relevant; communicating key messages; and reframing issues; generating recommendations to foster interdisciplinary research; developing targeted and actionable science-based recommendations; catalyzing partnerships among institutions and organizations and create new initiatives to advance ocean conservation. NCSE will publish a report of conference highlights and recommendations, which will be disseminated Nationally. Communication targets for conference outcomes will include Congress, federal agencies, key national stakeholder organizations, and international bodies.