#IESTurningTheTide: Systems thinking for a sustainable ocean – Bridging the gap between land and sea wrap-up

• The impact of land use on marine environments
• Ocean Literacy: How to change humanity's relationship with the ocean
• Examining the land-sea interface: Coastal management approaches

There are blurred lines between the land and sea in terms of their governance and regulation, and this is something that needs recognising and addressing. They are not discrete entities and there is a need for coherence in management of this transitional area, particularly considering developments that take place within this transition zone that are currently treated separately from the terrestrial and marine sides from a planning perspective. Moreover, there needs to be better recognition that activities in one area (i.e. the terrestrial, transitionary or marine environments) have implications across the land-sea continuum, therefore they cannot be treated in isolation from each other. 

This siloed thinking between marine and land environments is exemplified by the fact that in the UK there is no single lead department for the land-sea interface in policy making. This can result in a lack of consideration for transitional areas in decision-making and policy, and a lack of understanding on the impact of different department decisions on the land-sea interface. Better regulation and governance are needed at the land-sea interface, including company law, compliance, and social justice considerations. 

From a systems thinking perspective, it is acknowledged that progress has been made through the creation of a marine horrendogram which illustrates the complex nature of the legislation currently being used to manage and protect our transitional waters, coastal and marine environments. However, no terrestrial counterpart exists currently, and a combined map of the sea and the land is called for. 

Our decision making is very land-focused, and there is a need to embed interdisciplinary thinking around the land and sea and how they interact. A key aspect of finding the solutions that we're looking for is considering the social framing of the issues. We must acknowledge that human decision making is influenced by a complexity of human values, identities, social structures and lifestyles. Building marine citizenship is a vital aspect here, as it’s important to further develop the quality of the relationships that people have with the ocean and for people to view themselves as enablers of change towards a sustainable future. Improving ocean literacy and changing the narrative of the ocean as being something to protect against and contain, will be a key part of supporting marine citizenship. 

As a society we also need to focus on building understanding, interdisciplinary skills and professional capacity in terms of the marine and coastal environment. Key issues to prioritise for public engagement across the land-sea interface include water quality, where we see the most direct effects from things such as discharges or agricultural runoff, and what ecological support and management can be put in place for coastal processes.

Coastal areas are important for blue growth and feeding into the blue economy agenda. Developers in coastal zones want access to the land-sea interface, and as the current legislation and governance is divided, by default they tend to be the drivers in leading on land-sea integration. Corporate governance and regulation for developments is thus of paramount importance in the marine and coastal environment, particularly in the context of large scale developments, like offshore wind projects.
 
In marine planning, a key consideration is trying to balance the different sea users. This is most prominent at the land-sea interface, and especially at estuaries where you can get many different activities taking place. It’s crucial to understand the intimate links between catchment activities and the near-shore environment and bring the legislation and governance together to better manage and better ensure the future health of that near-shore environment.

There are many different systems approaches to integrate management of the land and the sea. These have slowly been evolving over time, from Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), to the ecosystem-based approach, to the natural capital approach. The terminology as well as the process has been in evolution as people think systemically about the interactions involved, as well as emerging concepts around blue growth and ocean sustainability.  

It was emphasised that there is a need to bring together economics, social science, and environmental and ecological science to consider natural capital assets and their value for people, the economy, and the environment. 

Highlighting a positive move, there is now a Defra-led cross-governmental Coast and Ocean Applied Systems Thinking Committee (COAST). This is bringing together chief scientific advisors from different departments and from the devolved administrations to address challenges facing the marine and coastal environment using systems thinking approaches. 

Using systems approaches is important in making better decisions, understanding trade-offs, and protecting coastal areas. They are a great way of communicating the importance of certain coastal ecosystems and the multiple layers of ecosystem services they provide. However, there’s potentially an over-emphasis on the metrics that are being using and a need to keep sight of the bigger picture. Systems thinking is fundamental to understanding the interactions between land and sea and ensuring that environmental scientists are equipped with the knowledge to understand the impact of their work on the wider environment and to implement multifunctional solutions. To be effective, systems thinking approaches should encompass big picture thinking, and not rely solely on metrics like natural capital valuation.