A SMART approach to reversing the decline of ocean health
At a glance
2021-2030 has been proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development by the United Nations, in a bid to focus efforts on improving the health and sustainability of our oceans. Oceans are a critical frontier for our global ecosystem and are at risk of degrading because of climate change impacts.
What are the biggest threats to the health of our oceans?
How can we start to improve conditions?
Our current understanding of the ocean is further hampered by a lack of continuous real-time, global, deep-ocean measurements; the deep ocean is extremely difficult and costly to monitor. To create better conditions for sustainable oceans we need to gather accurate data about what changes are happening, and the associated impacts stemming from these. For example, we do not have any long-term monitoring programs for ocean bottom pressure, which would enable more accurate estimates of sea-level rise, and improve earthquake and tsunami early warning systems.
How will the SMART cables program help?
When will SMART cables become a reality?
Who is the UN Joint Task Force for SMART Cables?
What else do you work on at GHD that aims to protect and restore ocean life?
A lot of my recent projects have focused on coastal climate adaptation. We document shoreline change as a means of understanding large scale coastal processes, patterns and behaviours, in order to prepare for climate-change related vulnerabilities. I also look at how we can manage risk and impacts in major infrastructure project upgrades and new builds.
The SMART cables initiative will transform our ocean infrastructure and provide benefits for social and environmental goals such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For a deeper dive into this initiative, see this Special Issue ECO magazine piece, in an issue devoted to the start of the Ocean Decade.