Science diplomacy for stewardship: advancing science-based policy through the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI)

Acceleration of human activities in the deep ocean ranging from resource extraction (minerals, oil and gas, fisheries, genetic resources) to pollution, disposal, and climate change threaten biodiversity and the resilience of... [ view full abstract ]

Acceleration of human activities in the deep ocean ranging from resource extraction (minerals, oil and gas, fisheries, genetic resources) to pollution, disposal, and climate change threaten biodiversity and the resilience of ecosystems that sustain life on this planet. This confluence of challenges and opportunities is embodied in the historic intergovernmental negotiations for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the 60% of the ocean that lies in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), due to commence at the United Nations in September 2018. Gaps in deep-ocean governance, lack of knowledge, and fragmentation in national and international legal frameworks require new global, multi-sectoral and cross-disciplinary approaches to conserve and sustainably use deep-sea biodiversity. Collaboration and technological innovation is critical to develop capacity to identify and address knowledge gaps, guide and integrate future scientific research endeavours, and articulate scientific knowledge to inform environmental policy development and decision making. Science, technology and innovation are critical to overcome obstacles facing the BBNJ agreement and could be a unifying focus for the negotiations. The Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) provides an international and integrated network of more than 1000 members combining deep-sea scientific expertise with natural science, social science, economics, policy, industrial application and innovation. DOSI enables science-policy engagement for the development of an effective and enforceable new instrument including conservation tools such as marine protected areas, strategic environmental assessments and the deployment of new technologies.