Marine spatial planning (MSP) is being implemented in a growing number of countries globally. The Canadian federal government, through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), is in the midst of marine spatial planning for five marine planning areas in Canadian waters, including three in Atlantic Canada. The first product in this planning initiative is […]
Science and Policy Interacting to Address the Human Population Crisis — The Wizard and the Prophet: A Review
This book is an exemplary example of how research in environmental science and policy interweaves in areas crucially important to humanity’s future. It describes the efforts of two scientists concerned about the global impact of human population increases in the twentieth century and their opposing views and approaches to tackling “the problem.” The scientists are […]
Inspirational Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5), Vancouver, 3-9 February 2023
Since the declaration of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), an incredible push to address biodiversity loss and climate change has become widespread. As part of efforts to ensure ocean protection, the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) was held in Vancouver, Canada from 3-9 February 2023. Attendees represented […]
New Paper: The Global Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts: A Database Relevant to the Times
Biodiversity loss, unrestrained climate change, deteriorating ocean conditions, growing food insecurity, and human population explosion are all headline topics today. The recently concluded COP 27 meeting on climate change in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and the COP 15 Montreal Summit on biodiversity, currently in progress, have focused global attention on serious environmental, social, and political issues […]
Impact Assessment, Climate Change, and Environmental Effects Monitoring: Collaborations and Conference Presentations
Early Fall 2022 was a busy time for me as it involved two online conference presentations. First up was the Celsius 1.5: Impact Assessment and Climate Change conference of the South Africa chapter of International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) in Cape Town, 26-28 September 2022. Following on new connections made at the IAIA conference […]
Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership: Creating, Sharing, and Using Knowledge over 25 Years
After a successful Bay of Fundy Conference (Advancing Estuarine Science and Ocean Literacy in Atlantic Canada) 17-21 May 2022, co-hosted with the Atlantic Canada Coastal and Estuarine Science Society, work by Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) members and partners has continued on several fronts. This activity is described in the reports presented at its […]
Being There: The International Impact Assessment Community Meets in Vancouver
I was pleased to be present for my first in-person conference since the COVID pandemic at the 2022 annual conference of the International Association of Impact Asssesment (IAIA) held in Vancouver, British Columbia, 4-7 May 2022. This conference was jointly hosted by the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office, and the Salish Nations Xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm […]
From Species at Risk to the Science-Policy Interface: EIUI at Conferences
After two years of cancelled or online-only conferences, members of the EIUI research team welcomed the opportunity to attend and participate in in-person conferences again where discussion and many conversations flowed around research work and resource management subjects. Two recent nearby conferences allowed several team members to present the results of current research projects and […]
Advancing Estuarine and Coastal Science and Ocean and Climate Literacy – Recent Conference
After a two-year delay due to the pandemic, the Atlantic Canada Coastal and Estuarine Science Society (ACCESS) and the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) jointly hosted a conference on “Advancing Estuarine and Coastal Science and Ocean and Climate Literacy,” 17-21 May 2022, at the Dalhousie University Agriculture Campus, Truro, Nova Scotia. Co-chaired by […]
Can Marine Spatial Planning Learn from Community-Based Engagement Practices?
Image Credit: Devon Beach, UK. (P. G. Wells) Did you know that in the moments it takes you to walk from your beach towel, out to where you start feeling cold and second-guessing your decision to go swimming, you are crossing three different governance jurisdictions? Governance in coastal and marine areas is complex and […]