in the face of such rich biodiversity, activities such as deep-sea mining in the high seas threaten these unique species and ecosystems. as the green transition ramps up to achieve the paris agreement goal of keeping climate change below 2 degrees celsius, demand for critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt are also rapidly increasing. the ocean floor below 650-foot depth, also known as the deep seabed, contains mineral deposits of increasing commercial interest that are distributed widely throughout the world’s oceans. this puts deep-sea species like the sea angel, chambered nautilus and highly migratory species like humpback whales and deep-sea ecosystems at risk as emerging scientific data hints at the long-term damage from seabed mining.

area-based management tools, as set up by international law frameworks, offer a strong solution to disruptive activities in the high seas. these tools include the use of marine protected areas (mpas) to regulate such activities in designated areas of the ocean. for example, mpas can regulate fishing and development for oil extraction and set up a regime to monitor and enforce these regulations through a management plan.

currently, most of the world’s mpas are within the national jurisdiction of countries, but the high seas treaty, also known as biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (bbnj) treaty, opens the opportunity for mpas to be established internationally in the high seas. the bbnj was formally adopted by the u.n. in june 2023 and signed by the united states two months later.

this sets in motion a whole new challenge of co-governance in the high seas global commons. who will propose mpas, take the lead on monitoring and enforcement and be responsible for sustained funding? these are just some from the slew of questions experts are starting to ask.

marine protected area research

this past summer, i set out to research how mpas could be successful in the high seas. by talking with experts from three different case study areas, i evaluated what is needed for mpas to be effectively implemented. as there are no current mpas established under the bbnj treaty, my case studies were comprised of large-scale mpas around the world: the papahānaumokuākea marine national monument of hawaii, great barrier reef marine park in australia and the ross sea regional marine protected area off the antarctic coast. i spoke with current and previous directors, superintendents and other staff of these mpas to glean the lessons learned about the implementation of protected areas in our oceans. these lessons include relationship building, adapting to scale and identifying key leadership.

relationship building and cooperation across agencies

papahānaumokuākea, meaning “a sacred area from which all life springs” in hawaiian, is a treasured marine national monument. encompassing the northwestern hawaiian islands, the 1.5 million square kilometers of protected ocean is made up of the islands and water stretching from nihoa to beyond midway atoll.  

lauren wenzel, the director of the noaa national marine protected areas center, illuminated that not only is it a unesco world heritage site for its natural value, but also for its cultural value to the hawaiian people. “culture is not just one piece of the pie, but looking holistically on how to bring it into everything,” wenzel affirmed about their commitment to co-management. the cultural management plan for the monument is extensive and includes bringing culture into every part of decision making.  

papahānaumokuākea marine national monument (pmnm) is an interesting model for the high seas because it is a large and remote area, many different agencies have interest in it and its management has a formal structure for bringing agencies together to work on decisions. after talking with experts like wenzel about the monument, the key lesson from its implementation emerged: relationship building between all stakeholders is of utmost importance to build cohesion and cooperation among all the different agencies and groups involved.

adaptive management with slow scale-up

the great barrier reef marine park (gbrmp) protects much of the largest living structure on earth — the great barrier reef. it expands a massive length of 2,300 kilometers long, about the same length of the u.s. west coast from the canadian to the mexican border. 

jon day, ph.d., a former gbrmp director, highlighted the threats that the marine park is currently facing, emphasizing climate change, water quality and unsustainable fishing in the area. the gbrmp is a fascinating model for the high seas because, through day’s guidance, it has adopted an intensive zoning plan to help curate management plans to specific areas, such as areas of high tourism or high vulnerability. 

for implementation to be successful, day called attention to the lessons of starting small, proving it can work, and then leveling up slowly but surely. he advocated for the case of high seas mpas, that “you don’t jump straight to what you think is ideal management. you start off slowly, you show how it can work, and then you build on that and improve it.” any progress on the high seas on an international timeframe will move gradually, so adopting an adaptive management framework of building on successes and changing when things fail will be key.

identifying key leadership

last but not least, the ross sea regional marine protected area (rsrmpa) in the southern ocean was most recently adopted as an mpa in 2016. as the largest mpa in the world, the rsrmpa covers a surface area of 1.55 million square kilometers, more than three times the size of california.  

this protected area is an imperative case study for the high seas because it is the only large-scale mpa governed internationally. cassandra brooks, ph.d, an expert on the ross sea who helped push for mpa status, expanded upon the importance of needing strong diplomatic relationships between countries for an international mpa.

brooks observed that the key lesson from implementation of the rsrmpa is that “specific countries have to take leadership for dumping resources into [the mpa].” both countries and organizations alike will need to step up into these leadership roles and clearly state who will put forward the resources, such as enforcement vessels and long-term sustainable funding into high seas protected areas.

implications for the high seas

the bbnj treaty lays out a framework for establishing mpas in the high seas.  but this is new territory, entering into new waters. looking toward already established case studies of large-scale mpas provides key lessons for the future implementation of high seas mpas. in june 2023, governments around the world formally adopted the bbnj treaty by consensus.

but this is just the first step. the next and most crucial step is ratification of the treaty. the agreement is currently out for signature, with the high seas alliance’s treaty ratification tracker showing the current number at 82 signatures from un member countries. signing only signifies willingness to proceed with ratification. in order for the treaty to enter force, at least 60 countries need to both sign and ratify the agreement for it to become law.

once it enters force, countries can jointly begin proposing and designating protected areas in the high seas. there are already areas in the high seas identified for protection, including the salas y gómez and nazca ridges far off the chilean and peruvian coasts. this region of connected submarine mountain ranges is made up of about 40% of all seamounts in the southeastern pacific ocean, which is home to both migratory endangered species like leatherback sea turtles and some of the world’s highest levels of endemic marine biodiversity. providing sanctuary through mpas for these homes to vulnerable animals and biodiverse ecosystems is imperative. this is how we protect the migratory whales and turtles, the deep-sea sea angels and nautiluses and all of the two million other species in our ocean yet to be discovered.

as hit artist björk stood behind a dj booth, her music filled a busy square as whale bones and roses scattered the ground. dozens of roses were placed around the space representing the 148 fin whales killed off the coast of iceland the previous season. the crowd was filled with young and old, natives and tourists gathered to make their sentiments about whaling known. 

ida harris, a 17-year-old icelander, stood proudly in a bustling crowd in downtown reykjavík, the capital city of iceland, wielding a sign at a protest. her light, curly hair framed her young face and pale skin while her eyes were alive with passion for a cause she has dedicated years of activism efforts toward. 

“[whales] decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions,” she said. “on the animal cruelty front, it’s completely inhumane.”

whales are the only carbon-sequestering organisms in the ocean comparable to the role of large trees on land. studies find that the natural death of a great whale sequesters significant amounts of co2. as a whale falls to the bottom of the ocean, approximately 33 tons of co2 is captured and not resealed back into the atmosphere, while a tree only absorbs an average of 48 pounds of co2 annually. furthermore, phytoplankton, which contribute 50 percent of oxygen to the atmosphere, feed on whale waste and cultivate a cycle of fostering phytoplankton growth. 

the 2022 whaling season was the first to be officially documented and audited by the icelandic government. despite explosive harpoons being used to hunt these whales, results showed 41% of whales were not killed in an immediate and painless manner as required by current whaling regulations. 

according to the professional council on animal welfare, “when hunting large whales, it is not possible to meet the conditions necessary to ensure the welfare of animals during killing.” therefore, the hunting of whales does not align with the provisions outlined in the animal welfare act.

a report on the economic impact of whaling showed that hvalur hf., the last remaining whaling company operating in icelandic waters, has not turned a profit in years. this is largely in part to a widespread decrease in demand for whale meat and byproducts. in fact, this disinterest is coupled with restrictions across 183 countries on the transportation and trade of whale products by the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (cites). 

harris encourages visitors to iceland to boycott restaurants serving whale meat. she says it does not represent the culture of a modern iceland. 

“whaling in iceland has no cultural significance. it is not a historic thing like people like to say it is. icelanders have been very recently modernized,” harris said. “old icelanders have never eaten whales, caught whales, done anything with whales. just us now.” 

a board member of the youth environmental association of iceland and an active participant in the fridays for future protests, harris has advocated for environmental justice and change since she was just 13 years old. now she and other environmental organizations in iceland have resumed protests against whaling after the ban was lifted on sept. 1, 2023. 

“we demand a revocation of the whaling license and that these brutal killings be stopped and banned once and for all,” the organization hvalavinir stop whaling in iceland stated, accompanying a global petition.

local icelanders are not the only activists working against the whaling industry. 26-year-old american lillian seibert spent her fourth time visiting the land of fire and ice at a whaling boycott. after she knelt down to sign her neat signature, denoting her defiance to the industry, she took photos and videos to share with her thousands of instagram followers. 

“culture evolves, and some things go out of fashion when they go out of necessity,” seibert said, glancing around the crowd of tourists and icelanders. “i think that that’s just part of the growth of culture that becomes part of your history.”

while not native to iceland, seibert said she has dedicated her travels to sustainable tourism practices. a petition to ban whaling in iceland that was shared in reykjavik and online has now garnered over half a million signatures from all over the world. much of this initiative was led by young activists fighting for the rights of animals and for their right to a healthy world. 

hvalur hf.’s permit to hunt fin whales will expire in december of 2023. activists are hopeful that their work to stop whaling once and for all will take root in 2024. a bill has been proposed in the icelandic parliament to shut down whaling operations. 

“it is proposed to make whaling illegal by repealing the act on whaling, no. 26/1949, and bring whales under the law on the protection, preservation, and hunting of wild birds and wild mammals, no. 64/1994,” according to the bill. 

anti-whaling groups like hvalavinir-stop whaling in iceland have continued to organize gatherings in recent weeks, mobilizing followers on social media to continue protesting the whaling permits and speak in support of the proposed bill.

“i’ve always been really passionate about the health of this planet and how intertwined it is with human existence. any species that we share this planet with has just as much of a right to be here as we do. so, i’m for stopping whaling. i think everyone else here can agree with that too,” seibert said with a nod, grinning as she scanned the crowd of passionate environmentalists. 

this summer, i took a trip aboard lindblad expeditions’ national geographic resolution to explore the ways in which the company is working to make ecotourism more sustainable. while traveling up and down the western coast of iceland, i learned about the ways that food is sourced, served and disposed of on a 138 passenger lindblad ship. while a completely sustainable cruise experience might still be out of reach for the largest of these ships, responsibility is always scalable.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project.

fishing is evolving in iceland, and the country continues to learn from and adapt to the looming threat of climate change and overfishing. i witnessed a condensed timeline of this shift, from visiting a century-old abandoned fish factory, to the forefront of industry innovation in the nation’s capital. this story is a portrait of iceland’s adaptability, and commitment to preserving not just an industry but a piece of their cultural identity.

click on the presentation below to see the full story.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project.

in this video, storyfest winner tyler hickman reflects on the history of the fishing industry in iceland and what modern-day fishers can learn from the past.

a special thank you to lindblad expeditions for their continued partnership with planet forward and for sponsoring our storyfest winners as they traveled across the rocky coastline of iceland, interviewing experts, and creating their upcoming stories. an additional ‘thank you’ goes to icelandair for supporting the students’ air travel.

under the tarp were about 30 large fiberglass molds. the molds, held together by strong metal pins, were filled with concrete and “spacers,” which included a large buoy in the center with small vinyl balls strategically placed around the sides. this morning’s group of volunteers was tasked with breaking open the molds and polishing off the finished oyster reef balls before pouring concrete back into the molds to make their own. 

building a “living shoreline”

these oyster reef balls are a part of the living shorelines that tampa bay watch creates throughout the tampa bay area. the holes created by the spaces in the concrete are designed to increase the change of species recruitment and allow water to flow through the concrete. similar structures are used around the world to create artificial reef structures, in response to a global trend of declining coral reefs, according to eric plage, environmental specialist at tampa bay watch. he has been with the non-profit organization since 2009, primarily working on the oyster reef ball program. 

the ones made by tampa bay watch are the “small ones,” according to plage. measuring 18 inches tall, 24 inches wide, these low-profile reef balls weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. other oyster reef balls, such as “pallet balls,” can weigh up to 5000 pounds. 

tampa bay watch’s oyster reef balls are utilized in the intertidal zone. during low tide, they are completely exposed. at high tide, they rest in about two to three feet of water, according to plage. their purpose has three main components: shoreline stabilization, biological filtration and to create oyster communities. 

in terms of shoreline stabilization, plage listed daily energy from boat wakes and more extreme damage from storms as significant contributing stressors on florida’s coastal environments. according to him, increased activity from boats going through channels can have some serious impact on the very important mangrove forests. 

as more and more people use the waterways for recreational and commercial purposes, the stressing factors continue to expand. increased wave activity and strength poses the risk of waves damaging the roots of mangroves and other vegetation. if serious enough, this can lead to the loss of mangrove forests, what plage dubs as the “first line of defense.” with that defense gone, the erosion is free to continue landward and creep up to a person’s property. 

finding the right solution

to protect property, plage says that many people decide to implement hardened shorelines in response to this erosion, mainly in the form of seawalls. but seawalls can do more damage than people think. 

the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission acknowledges the negative impacts of seawalls on their website. “ironically, these structures often increase the rate of coastal erosion, remove the ability of the shoreline to carry out natural processes, and provide little habitat for estuarine species,” the site says. 

most of tampa bay consists of sloped shorelines that consist of many different habitats: high marsh, low marsh, high tide line, intertidal zone and low tide line. building a flat, hardened shoreline takes away that sloped shoreline and therefore contributes to the erasure of the many different habitats possible. 

but these hardened shorelines also worsen the very problem of erosion that they are meant to address, as they magnify the impacts of boat wakes and storms. ocean waves come in the form of energy, so as a wave approaches the shoreline, the energy needs to go somewhere. with a sloped shoreline, it can be gradually dissipated through multiple layers, having a less profound effect. but with hardened sea walls, the energy simply reflects back and causes more destruction, according to plage. 

to oppose the hardened shoreline strategy, organizations like tampa bay watch use more sloped, living shorelines that are not only more natural but also mitigate effects more sensibly. their living shorelines include three main habitats that they create. 

first are the oyster reef balls themselves, which plage calls the first line of defense. they are placed in the intertidal zone side-by-side. behind the oyster reef balls a lagoon forms, in which oyster shell bags are placed in order to hold in sediment and recruit organisms. behind all this, closest to shore, is salt marsh grass. every part of this shoreline is important in its own way. 

“oyster communities are incredibly important because they’re incredibly biodiverse,” plage said. “within the little nooks and crannies of those oyster balls, there are tons of different invertebrates that use that as a nursery, use that as a safe haven.”

the oysters that are recruited onto the reef balls are impressive in themselves. not only do they add to the diversity of the communities and promote other species’ recruitment, but they also filter water. 

a single adult oyster can filter one to two gallons of water per hour when fully submerged. that’s up to 50 gallons a day, according to the national oceanic and atmospheric administration – another missing component of sea walls. 

a community effort

every part of the shoreline projects takes a lot of manpower. everything from creating the oyster reef balls to growing the salt marsh grasses. the latter is done through another program called bay grasses in classes, which works with local classrooms to grow the salt marsh grasses and see them planted in future shoreline projects. 

“we’re a hearty crew of just a handful of people, but we couldn’t do anything without our community volunteers,” plage said. 

plage said that with about 40 volunteers, they can install 200-300 reef balls in a single day. 

margie sundstrom has been volunteering with tampa bay watch for a decade now, mainly with the oyster reef ball program. her favorite aspect is showing the community how the organization is really impacting the shorelines in the tampa bay area. 

“the one thing that i like about it is how the community gets involved,” sundstrom said. “because they see what we’re doing and have an understanding of what’s being done and they can do it too.”

as an environmental non-profit, tampa bay watch gets a hands-on look at projects like these from start to finish. when they see a shoreline that is in danger or in need, they can take data themselves, use it to inform  a restoration plan, create a design, acquire permits for the design and follow through with the help of community volunteers. 

“i think the coolest part of my job is to see one of these living shorelines come to a complete fruition,” plage said. “through many of the shorelines i’ve worked on, i’ve seen them from the beginning to where they are now where they’re prospering shorelines.”

on the lower end of the hearing spectrum, male atlantic haddock circle their territory for hours, trying to attract mates using distinctive “knocks.”

these sounds paint a picture of a biodiverse and teeming marine ecosystem. but humans are destroying it.

the issue of sound

heather spence, ph.d., a composer and marine science advisor for the u.s. department of energy, has dedicated her life to researching the effects of human-caused noise pollution on marine life. through sound, she says, a trained specialist can determine the health of a marine ecosystem.

“[the sounds] transport you because you’ve got all of these textures that have layers of sound going on, like the snapping shrimp,” said spence in a phone call. “but if you listen more, you can hear some subtle sounds from fish and spiny lobsters.”

through her acoustic monitoring surveys in cancun, mexico, spence found that recreational boaters would overpower or “mask” the animals’ sounds when they were present.

“just masking can make it so they can’t hear each other or communicate an alarm signal, or they can’t find each other to mate,” spence said. “so, it can be a pretty major deal.”

human-produced noise pollution of the ocean goes far beyond recreational boating. there are also the shipping vessels that connect a complex global transoceanic network, which supports 80% of global trade, according to the united nations.

experts say vessel noise can be heard for miles. it causes “measurable stress,” and it disrupts the ability of animals to evaluate shelter for safety. its low frequency makes such noise especially detrimental, falling precisely in the range in which many marine organisms hear and communicate, according to dave hudson, ph.d.

hudson is the founder of remote ecologist, a nonprofit in connecticut focusing on aquatic system stressors. in january, he conducted a study about the effects of vessel noise and sonar on american lobster and blue crab. these two animals support the livelihoods of thousands of commercial fishermen in new england.

hudson said that his study showed that boat noise induces stress in blue crabs, reducing their competitiveness for food and causing them to exhibit defensive behaviors.

“so extrapolation of work that we did on these two crustaceans probably tells me a lot about how other crabs in the area would be affected,” said hudson in a phone call. “other lobsters would be affected in places like europe and australia and others throughout the caribbean with spiny lobsters.”

subjecting an animal to boat noise can hurt their ability to survive. a wildlife conservation society study looking at the increased presence of whales in the new york bay said that sounds could interfere with migration, mating, and prey detection.

funding a response

the ambient noise level in the oceans has increased by as much as 12 decibels over the last 30 years, according to a source hudson cited in his paper. noise control site iacacoustics says that this increase is the equivalent of someone breathing in a person’s ear.

to address these problems, more research is needed on how noise impacts marine life, as indicated by a plethora of studies, including hudson’s and spence’s. both scientists said that the biggest obstacle is money, 

“i do think that the reason why it is or is not in connecticut is more about funding,” hudson said. “we’ve thrown around some ideas to try some in situ work in connecticut, but it just hasn’t been funded yet.”

in 2021, the national oceanic and atmospheric administration compiled a “ocean noise strategy,” doctrine, which pushed for funding of acoustic monitoring and spreading awareness of ocean soundscapes.

communicating through music

marine acoustic ecology can seem inaccessible to a normal person because of the time it takes to learn about it. many marine conservation efforts, such as connecticut’s “blue plan” ignore it altogether. the blue plan uses data collected on the long island sound’s natural resources to inform policies on marine planning in that area.

but enticing the public into learning about the field may require more than hard data. that’s where spence’s unique fusion of music and biology can come in. for example, she composed “night fish,” a song made up of reef recordings, string instruments, and percussive elements of whale song.

“i think what’s interesting is that my musical training led me to explore not just the frequency of fish sounds, but also other parameters, like the complexity of the rhythms of the sounds that they made, which resulted in much more interesting analysis,” spence said.

it’s about making oceanic soundscapes accessible, but we don’t live underwater, and we haven’t evolved the ability to hear the rich diversity of marine sounds. that makes conservation efforts difficult, spence says.

with spence’s “ocean world of sound 30 day challenge” playlist, a person can listen to a recording of the ocean every day for a month and dive into the world of underwater sound.

“one of the best ways to get people to understand is for them to actually experience it themselves,” spence said. “if you’re noticing things in your own environment that you feel something about, then you can extrapolate that to an ocean environment, which can feel alien.”

this is a good way for people to start empathizing with marine life. but hudson emphasized the importance of discussing the environmental costs of something as ubiquitous as shipping.

what kind of world do we want?

“you’re throwing things on one side of the world, then putting them in a can, and then bringing them back to the same side,” hudson said. “that doesn’t make sense. and that produces noise the whole way and uses up resources.”

spence also weighed in on the issue, emphasizing the importance of reducing the intentional sound of motors, which lose energy in the form of noise.

what is the price of environmental destruction? human suffering and economic loss, according to hudson.

but he still has hope. hudson said that people can “start somewhere small” like volunteering in an academic laboratory or planting grasses in marshes. one person can transform into 10,000 people making a difference in the world. it’s about paying attention to the environment and not giving up.

“we need to start imagining [and asking ourselves] what the future is going to sound like above and under water,” spence said.

“what do we want our future to sound like and how do we get there?”

this article has been republished with additional photos. 

in Ángela and the plastic problem, she embarks on a journey to discover what her local community and communities across her country are doing to increase sustainability by combating plastic waste. learning about intiatives in other cities and even going on a trip to the marvelous galápagos islands, she is helped and inspired along the way by her best friend, julia, and her mamá.

Ángela meets new friends like pedro and his mother to continue her exploration of ecuador, facing her fears to discover how community can tackle plastic pollution together.

in this children’s book, youth will hopefully be inspired to take action after learning about what other people are doing to combat plastic waste. 

Ángela and the plastic problem was written as an original story by first-time and emerging authors maria zaharatos & shelby atherton, edited and published with support from elena negrón, and illustrated by ruby walker.

the following two page spreads are an excerpt from the book. 

the book is made available through the texas-based educational nonprofit organization, faro: projects for global education, which writes educational curricula and children’s books on global issues.

for interested readers who liked this excerpt, you can check out the full book available on amazon, and keep an eye out for our kindle version coming soon! 

for teachers or others who want to use the book for educational purposes – please contact faro at info@faropge.org

paired with my love for the ocean and the beauty of its vast biodiversity, my academic path in ecology has primed me for the discussions at cop27 surrounding the detrimental impact of climate change on marine life. i strongly believe that the combined efforts of scientific and legislative expertise are imperative in not only achieving the un’s net zero goals but other important environmental issues as well.

discussing ocean ecology at cop27

coral reefs are central to hosting thousands of important marine species that uphold our biosphere and providing a wide variety of crucial ecosystem services. many serve as a pillar of income and benefit to the economy for nations that rely on these ecosystems for ecotourism.

however, these reefs are especially under threat by ocean acidification, caused by anthropogenic activities like the agricultural industry and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

ocean acidification is a ubiquitous and burgeoning problem that plagues our world’s oceans, and efficient action is needed immediately to mitigate its impact and spread. the multifaceted means by which we take action must be elevated as a priority, therefore i strongly believe in the vast potential of taking on an interdisciplinary approach toward addressing ocean acidification and its impacts on coastal communities and ecosystems.

i had the privilege and opportunity to attend a panel discussion called “oa action plans: increasing ambition for climate action & transforming planning and response to climate-ocean change” at the ocean pavilion during my first day at cop27. this event was composed of government leaders and organizations from around the world who have been committing their efforts to the protection of coastal communities, livelihoods, and species from ocean acidification and other climate-related issues.

three speakers stood out to me in particular: ambassador ilana seid, the permanent representative to un palau, arthur tuda, ph.d., the executive director of the western indian ocean marine science association, and congressman eduardo murat from the general congress of the united mexican states.

ambassador seid discussed the significant strides taken by researchers from stanford university and the university of hawaii within the collaborative space of science in the protection of marine biodiversity. one innovation that i found to be especially interesting was the development of ocean antacid tablets to mitigate the effects of ocean acidification and thus help prevent food shortages for reliant coastal communities and during biological catastrophes.

tuda, another panelist from the scientific side of the conversation, highlighted the collective findings of a new report – a culmination of four years of monitoring across six countries – on ocean acidification in the western indian ocean region.

the key takeaway of this report is the importance of regional collaboration between nations, scientists around the world, and the combined scientific knowledge and resources that facilitate humanity’s progress in understanding climate change. on the other side of the panel, congressman murat provided expertise through a legislative lens.

murat is seeking to collaborate with other legislators and eventually pass a bill on ocean acidification consisting of provisions that define the problem itself and gather programs to map, monitor, and manage blue carbon areas – marine and coastal ecosystems that absorb and store carbon – to strengthen future legislation in mexico. moreover, this bill seeks to reinforce legislation on the source of the problem, targeting agricultural and livestock runoff.

sharing and expanding our knowledge

after hearing both sides of the conversation, i wondered, how can we maintain a fair balance between different voices and disciplines in reaching solutions? this panel discussion further strengthened my desire to examine environmental issues through multiple lenses.

moving forward, we must continue to press forward in our fight against climate change through the implementation and advancement of multilateral-based solutions. although science and policy are seemingly very different realms of expertise, i was able to witness the vast potential for these fields to work in tandem to enact tangible change and solutions in a multi-layered crisis. it is imperative to step outside of our comfort zones and look for answers to our world’s most pressing environmental issues that stretch beyond our own boundaries of knowledge.

with that in mind, i encourage all students of non-environmental majors and backgrounds to engage in opportunities like the cop fellowship, to not only engage with the real world but to also gain exposure to the diverse mindsets and perspectives that make up this conference. more than ever before, we need the integration of different disciplines, backgrounds, and ideas into our global negotiations and solutions.

this story was featured in our series, slipping through our fingers: the future of water.

but soon, i might not be able to.

each year, these beaches get smaller and smaller due to sea level rise. crane beach in ipswich, massachusetts, is the most popular beach on the north shore, with more than 350,000 annual visitors. tragically, crane also takes the lead in dramatic beach erosion and flooding. crane beach has already lost 112 acres of shoreline — the beach my mom ran around as a child isn’t the same as the one i did. nearly 1,500 feet of sand and dunes have been lost since i was born in 2001. the beach has a serious flooding problem, and water sometimes covers part of argilla road, the only road to the beach. a stretch of the road is surrounded by the great salt marsh, which regularly floods as a result of sea level rise and storm surge. in 10 years, argilla road could be flooded on a daily basis, and in 50 years, the beach could become completely inaccessible. will my kids even be able to get to the beach that i grew up on?

these fishing towns that feed my spirit — ipswich, gloucester, rockport — all financially depend on beach tourism and family seafood businesses. what’s more, crane beach is one of the world’s most essential nesting sites for piping plovers, a threatened bird that was nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800s. crane beach is an invaluable stretch of sand that holds incredible importance to the financial stability of the town, to piping plovers, and to the hearts of everyone who visits year after year.

climate change, and the extreme weather events it exacerbates, are expected to increasingly disrupt towns all over the country. high-tide flooding due to sea level rise is exponentially increasing, threatening the coastal property market and town infrastructure. on the atlantic coastline, all it takes is a local sea level rise of 1.0 to 2.3 feet for high tide to turn into a major destructive flood. massachusetts north store’s state of the coast report makes it clear: “an increase in the level of the world’s oceans is due to global warming,” and sea level rise poses a serious threat to coasts with intensified storm surges, flooding, and damage of coastal zones.

the town of ipswich recently completed the first two phases of their project to raise argilla road by 18 inches, and to create natural banks on the sides of the road to protect the new elevation from erosion. the town is also working to restore the marsh that argilla road runs through. workers are performing “ditch remediation,” filling in the centuries-old unnatural ditches with natural salt marsh hay. these efforts will restore the natural flow of water in the marsh, hopefully reducing flooding from sea level rise and storm surge, and keeping argilla road dry. the trustees of crane beach work hard to organize around this issue, from partnering with environmental organizations to holding educational community events to creating a podcast to spread the message. this gives me hope for the town, and for the future of my beloved beach.

crane beach is a beautiful stretch of dunes and choppy new england waves that will freeze your toes off. people stood on that beach thousands and thousands of years ago. a seagull swooped down and snatched an entire sandwich out of my father’s hand on that beach six years ago. beyond its financial importance, crane beach is a gorgeous, invaluable spot in the universe. the waves can be relentless, but i will always choose to get back in the water. 

for now, it looks like crane’s next generation of baby plover birds will have a chance to spend their babyhood on the beach their mothers chose. but will my children have the same opportunity? it depends on the continued commitment of the town of ipswich to combat the effects of climate change.