Marcus Haward

The short history of research in a marine climate change hotspot: from anecdote to adaptation in south-east Australia

Climate change is not being felt equally around the world. Regions where warming is most rapid will be among those to experience impacts first, will need to develop early responses to these impacts and can provide a guide for management elsewhere. We describe the research history in one such global marine hotspot—south-east Australia—where a number of contentions about the value of hotspots as natural laboratories have been supported, including (1) early reporting of changes (2) early documentation of impacts, and (3) earlier development and promotion of adaptation options. We illustrate a transition from single discipline impacts-focused research to an inter-disciplinary systems view of adaptation research. This transition occurred against a background of change in the political position around climate change and was facilitated by four preconditioning factors. These were: (1) early observations of rapid oceanic change that coincided with (2) biological change which together provided a focus for action, (3) the strong marine orientation and history of management in the region, and (4) the presence of well developed networks. Three case studies collectively show the critical role of inter-disciplinary engagement and stakeholder participation in supporting industry and government adaptation planning.

Comparative Green Politics: Beyond the European Context?

It is argued that there are significant differences between green electoral politics in Europe and green developments in the affluent non-European west, and that these are such that, despite the greater political formalization of the green movement in Western Europe, there is a sense in which North American and Antipodean developments are ultimately more fundamental than those that have occurred in Europe. Loosely adopting explanatory categories employed by Rudig and Lowe in a Political Studies article, we examine evidence under four sub-heads: electoral thresholds; the historical legacy of the environment movement; the different contextual roles played by the anti-nuclear movement and wilderness experience, and ecology, Marxism and the new left.

Federal and international perspectives on Australia's maritime claims

During 1994 Australia took two significant actions in relation to its maritime claims. On 1 August it declared a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and on 5 October it ratified the UNCLOS. The declaration of the EEZ was the final stage in a lengthy process which reflects the impact of federalism and international developments in the management of Australias offshore areas. This article examines the background to these recent developments and considers the implications of these maritime claims on Australian management of its offshore areas. In particular, the article reviews the constitutional, legal and political elements which have influenced Australias particular approach towards its offshore areas.

A new approach to selecting Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean

Abstract Conservation of the high seas marine environment poses a significant challenge to policy-makers and managers. Marine conservation efforts are often hindered by the lack of data and the difficulties in addressing multiple, and typically conflicting uses. The majority of extant Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are in coastal or tropical regions within national jurisdiction. Conservation of high seas MPAs has emerged on the international agenda as a critical issue requiring the application of novel approaches, international cooperation and political will. Knowledge and understanding of the marine environment and data on marine biodiversity are all typically limited for the high seas, and the use of surrogates to assist in the identification of areas of high conservation value is one possible mechanism to address and potentially overcome these limitations. Drawing upon a database spanning more than 20 years and containing approximately 140 000 records of seabird sightings at sea, this study assesses the potential use of seabirds as surrogates for marine biodiversity in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. At-sea ranges, species diversity and the distributions of endangered species may be appropriate selectors or filters to identify areas with high conservation values. Integrating policy with science provides an appropriate mechanism to identify and prioritise MPAs in the Southern Ocean.

Integrated management councils. A conceptual model for ocean policy conflict management in Australia

Integrated management is a central theme of Australia’s Oceans Policy (AOP). Improving integration across sectors and jurisdictions has been identified in a number of Australian initiatives in coastal and marine policy developed in the past decade. These initiatives include the Regional Marine Planning process under AOP undertaken in 2000–02 and commitments to a National Coastal Policy made in 2002. These initiatives have highlighted the need for institutional arrangements that address these two key dimensions of integration in the Australian marine environment. This paper reviews Australian initiatives in ocean and coastal policy and draws on lessons from Canadian experience to propose Integrated Management Councils as a ‘way forward’ for integrated and adaptive management focusing on the decentralization of power and community participation in the decision-making process.

Institutional Design and Policy Making 'Down Under': Developments in Australian and New Zealand Coastal Management

Abstract The early-mid 1990s may yet rank as the most significant period for coastal management in Australia and New Zealand. This period of intense assessment and evaluation of approaches to the management of the coastal zones ‘down under’ has provided important lessons in terms of institutional design; lessons which have broader relevance. The paper examines and evaluates the different approaches taken by Australia and New Zealand in developing institutional arrangements for coastal management. The paper concludes by emphasising constitutional, legal and political frameworks as key determinants on outcomes; the significance of achieving integration at inter and intra government levels; and supports arrangements which provide a synthesis between ‘top-down’, and ‘bottom-up’ approaches.

Science and Social License: Defining Environmental Sustainability of Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture in South-Eastern Tasmania, Australia

Social license reflects environmental and social change, and sees community as an important stakeholder and partner. Science, scientists, and science policy have a key role in the processes that generate social license. In this paper, we focus on the interaction between science and social license in salmon aquaculture in south-eastern Tasmania. This research suggests that social license will be supported by distributed and credible knowledge co-production. Drawing on qualitative, interpretive social research we argue that targeted science, instilled by appropriate science policy, can underpin social license by supporting emerging, distributed, and pluralistic knowledge production. Where social license is important and environmental contexts are complex, such knowledge production might support environmental governance, and so improve outcomes in coastal zone management and beyond.

Super Trawler Scuppered in Australian Fisheries Management Reform

ABSTRACT In response to an intense social media campaign led by international conservation groups, Green politicians, and recreational fishers, the Australian government imposed a moratorium on the operations of a large factory trawler. This moratorium overrode the governments own independent fisheries management process by making amendments to its key environmental legislation just days prior to the commencement of fishing by this vessel. Concurrently, the government announced a comprehensive review of Australias fisheries management legislation. Whereas science is usually deployed in support of conservation in natural resource conflicts, in this case science-based fisheries management advice took a back seat to vociferous protest by interest groups, perpetuated by the media (in particular social media), ultimately culminating in a contentious political decision.

Australian Ocean Governance—Initiatives and Challenges

The last decade has seen increasing attention to institutional arrangements and policy outcomes affecting the governance of the worlds seas and oceans. Governance is linked to institutional capacity and to the effectiveness of public organizations drawing attention to tools and approaches underpinning effective and efficient institutional arrangements. Australia has taken a high profile in oceans governance, with international actions matched by the development of a number of national initiatives including a national Oceans Policy. Australia has numerous laws and policy instruments addressing aspects of the management of the marine environment, reflecting the federal nature of this policy area where responsibility is shared between the Commonwealth (federal or Australian) government and Australian state and territory governments. The Oceans Policy, implemented by the Commonwealth and applied within Commonwealth jurisdiction, has been a major initiative but its implementation highlights a number of challenges. This article outlines Australias approach to ocean governance and assesses, through reference to the concept of effectiveness, current governance arrangements integral to the Oceans Policy.

The development of Malaysia's position on Antarctica: 1982 to 2004

This paper examines the development of Malaysias position on the ‘Question of Antarctica’ and its relationship to the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). Malaysias challenges to, and criticisms of, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCPs) are mapped from 1982 to 2004, indicating a shift from challenging the ATS to engagement with the ATCPs. The paper highlights how Malaysias position on the ‘Question of Antarctica’ reflected a mix between domestic political concerns and its international and regional interests. The mix between domestic and international interests is reflected in the ongoing involvement of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, including his retirement in 2003, in shaping Malaysias position, from initiating the challenge to the ATS in 1982 to recommending that Malaysia join the ATS in 2004. Mahathirs domestic agenda, most notably through Malaysias ‘Vision 2020’ development program is identified as providing an impetus for change, increasing Malaysian scientific interest in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.