21st Century Guide To Oceans And Ocean Policy

The United States is about to embark on the most thorough reconsideration of its ocean policy in more than three decades. With 1998 designated as the International Year of the Ocean by the United Nations, and with both the executive branch and the Congress currently working toward developing new approaches to formulating and implementing ocean policy, a comprehensive overview of key issues and concerns is essential. The Future of U.S. Ocean Policy provides such an overview, with an in-depth analysis of the evolution of U.S. ocean policy and a timely discussion of the most important ocean and coastal issues facing the nation. The book assesses the current status of ocean policy, examines national and international trends, and considers choices for policymakers in the 21st century. Following an introductory chapter that reviews national ocean policy and the process by which it is made, the authors: review the history of development of U.S. ocean and coastal policy examine the major ocean laws enacted in the 1970s and review and assess their record of implementation examine factors that will affect U.S. ocean policy in the coming decade discuss the need to make policy more coherent, and to develop institutional mechanisms that can foster more effective guidance and oversight present a set of policy options for improving U.S. ocean policy The Future of U.S. Ocean Policy is the only recent book that focuses on national ocean policy in its entirety, and will play an important role in upcoming debates concerning the future direction of policy initiatives. Agency personnel, members and staff of nongovernmental organizations, industry groups, Congressional staffers, state and local government officials, academics, and concerned citizens will find the book an invaluable guide, as will students and faculty in courses in marine and coastal management and in environmental management.

An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century calls for a new governance framework, more investment in marine science and a new stewardship ethic by all Americans - all within the context of an ecosystem-based management approach - to halt the decline of this nation's oceans and coasts. In total, the U. S. Commission on Ocean Policy put forward 212 recommendations for a new national ocean policy in the report. The value of the oceans and coasts to the nation is immense and their full potential remains unrealized. Over half the U.S. population lives in coastal watershed counties and roughly one-half of the nation's gross domestic product ($4.5 trillion in 2000) is generated in those counties and in adjacent ocean waters. A comprehensive and coordinated national ocean policy requires moving away from the current fragmented, single-issue way of doing business and toward ecosystem-based management. This new approach considers the relationships among all ecosystem components, and will lead to better decisions that protect the environment while promoting the economy and balancing multiple uses of our oceans and coasts.

Chapters throughout this book assess the roles and impact upon oceans management of the institutions both inside and outside the Convention's framework, as well as the United Nations General Assembly as concerns its coordinating role in the field of oceans and law of the sea. Questions addressed concern the interpretation of the Convention's substantive provisions and how these various institutions interact. The impetus to resolve these and other challenges in the law of the sea and oceans management will ensure the law of the sea's continuing evolution in the years ahead.

Contains balanced & practical proposals for the establishment of a comprehensive & coordinated ocean policy for our nation. Contents: Our Oceans: A Nat. Asset; A New Nat. Ocean Policy Framework; The Importance of Educ. & Public Awareness; Econ. Growth & Resource Conservation Along the Coast; Coastal & Ocean Water Quality; Enhancing the Use & Protection of Ocean Resources; Advancing Our Understanding of the Oceans; U.S. Participation in Internat. Policy; & Implementing a New Nat. Ocean Policy. Illustrations. Includes a DVD & CD-ROM; U.S. Ocean-Related Academic Infrastructure; Inventory of U.S. Ocean & Coastal Facilities; & Review of U.S. Ocean & Coastal Law: The Evolution of Ocean Governance Over Three Decades.

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Describing the emerging and unresolved issues related to the oceans and the marine environment, this book presents the developments made in marine science and policy since the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and implications for the sustainable management of ocean areas and resources. This comprehensive volume also provides a number of scientific, policy, and legal tools to address such issues, and to ensure better science-based management of the oceans. Topics covered include the impacts of human-induced climate change on the oceans, the marine genetic resources debate, the current legal framework for the oceans, and a comparative study of the legal issues associated with outer space. Including practical examples and worldwide case studies, this book is a valuable resource for policy makers, students and academics, in marine science and policy, ocean affairs, and the law of the sea.