Thema: The sea under human and natural impacts: challenge of oceanography to the future Earth

The sea is an indispensable component of Earth system. Human societies obtain great benefit from the sea. Global warming threatens the sea through seawater temperature rise, acidification, sea-level rise and huge depressions. The tsunami destroys coastal zones repeatedly. Increase in population and industries along the coast, especially in Asia, causes degradation of coastal ecosystems through direct and indirect manners such as reclamation, overexploitation of bioresources and pollution. We need to understand physical, chemical and biological mechanisms of the sea, and threats of human and natural impacts on the sea and ecosystems at the present day. Without comprehensive understanding of the sea and those impacts, we cannot forecast the sea in the future Earth assuming several scenarios of global warming. In order to keep the sea in the future Earth in rich and productive conditions, sustainability science and education for sustainable environments concerning the sea are also needed now.

The 16th Japanese-French Oceanography Symposium focuses on progress in oceanography to understand the present sea from physical, chemical, biological and ecological aspects including fisheries science. We discuss the sea in the future Earth under different scenarios and how we can establish sustainable ocean through marine science.

Key Words

future Earth, sustainability science, marine science, aquaculture, fisheries, climate change, global warming, ocean acidification, artificial reefs, modeling, satoumi, Sanriku coast, pollution, tsunami, governance, marine protected area, productivity, biodiversity