Date:
November 20 + 21, 2024
Place:
HIFMB
Im Technologiepark 5
26129 Oldenburg
Germany
and online
Understanding the relationship between people and the management of our seas and oceans has grown into a significant area of research at the HIFMB. Are you interested in learning more about our marine governance work, and listening to a leading international scholar talk about key issues shaping the field today? Please register and join our inaugural Marine Social Science Lecture.
This year’s theme of the Marine Social Science Lecture is “Belonging” and is dedicated to Dr. Satya Savitzky*.
Marine Social Science Lecture
November 21
12:00 pm – 13:30 pm (CET)
hybrid format
Associate Professor Elizabeth M. De Santo, PhD
Securitizing Marine Protected Areas: Geopolitics, Environmental Justice, and Science
Abstract
The tremendous growth in the number and scale of marine protected areas (MPAs) over the past two decades has been astounding. Driven by global conservation commitments and protected area targets, the rush to conserve as much ocean area as quickly as possible has raised questions about both efficacy and equity. While designated for conservation purposes, many large-scale MPAs are situated in the overseas territories of former colonial powers and/or powerful players on the global stage, offering these countries a geopolitical advantage and access to mineral and biological marine resources. For example, the UK, France, and US’s combined maritime area, including their overseas territories, exceeds 28 million square kilometers, or roughly 40% of the territory comprised by the top 10 countries with the largest maritime footprints. It is not a coincidence that many of these areas also contain a military presence, given their historic utility as footprints of empire and spheres of influence far from home. Additionally, protected areas in general have a complex legacy with regard to exclusion, and MPAs are no exception. The Chagos MPA in the Indian Ocean is a particularly egregious example of the tension between geopolitics and justice and led to cases at the highest courts in the world. MPAs are also fundamentally a policy tool designed for ecological ends; consequently, they exemplify the science-policy interface and the challenges of science-based decision-making in the face of climate threats and uncertainty. This talk will explore these three facets of MPAs, geopolitics, environmental justice, and science, drawing on examples from the UK, France, US, and Canada, and looking towards the new global agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). While MPAs are a critical tool for protecting biodiversity, new international targets calling for 30% of the oceans to be protected by 2030 add pressure that can result in the designation of “paper parks”, i.e., parks in name only. The path to meaningful, equitable, and effective conservation requires careful and critical reflection to avoid this, as well as alternative and innovative approaches to governance and MPA design.
Elizabeth M. De Santo is Associate Professor and Chair of the Environmental Studies Program at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. She is a human geographer specialized in environmental policy and governance, with a particular focus in coastal and marine environmental management. Her interdisciplinary background brings together geography, environmental law, international relations, environmental management, and marine zoology. Elizabeth’s teaching and research critically examine: (1) the efficacy of spatial approaches to conserving marine species and habitats, and (2) mechanisms for improving the science-policy interface in environmental decision-making. She is particularly interested in the challenges of effectively implementing Marine Protected Areas and biodiversity conservation worldwide.
Prior to joining F&M, Elizabeth taught in the Marine Affairs Program and College of Sustainability at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. She has also held positions with the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and the World Environment Center. She is a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, the Editorial Board of Marine Policy, and the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy. She holds a PhD in Geography (co-supervised in Laws) from University College London, an MSc in the History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University, and a BA in Zoology from Connecticut College. For more information and links to publications and other media, please see www.emdesanto.com.
Program
November 20: Early Career researcher day (everyone is welcome!)
on-site activities:
| 13:30 – 14:00 | Reception |
| 14:00 – 16:30 | Workshop (Prof. Kimberley Peters) |
| 16:30 – 16:45 | Poster & Art-Science Session |
| 16:45 – 17:45 | Fireside chat with guest speaker Associate Professor Elizabeth M. De Santo |
| 20:00 | Screening of “Songs of the Sea” at Unikino Gegenlicht (English original with German subtitles) (Link: https://gegenlicht.net/film/die-melodie-des-meeres/) |
November 21: Marine Social Science Lecture
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Reception (on-site) |
| 11:00 – 11:20 | Welcome & Introduction (hybrid) |
| 11:20 – 11:50 | Interactive Performance (hybrid) |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lecture by Elizabeth M. De Santo on Securitizing Marine Protected Areas: Geopolitics, Environmental Justice, and Science (hybrid) |
| 13:30 – 14:15 | Poster & Art-Science Session (on-site) |
The Marine Social Science Lecture (MSSL) is a place of belonging.
The Marine Governance group engage with an ethics of care to one another recognising the importance of empathy, compassion, and responsibility in our interactions. The same applies to this lecture. We strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. To achieve this, we expect all participants, including attendees, speakers, organisers, and staff, to adhere to the following guidelines:
Kindness, Respect and Solidarity: Treat everyone with kindness and respect. Acknowledge and consider the viewpoints, experiences, and feelings of others. Always think and reflect on your contributions. Be aware of your position, privileges and perspectives. Stand with (and up) in solidarity for those who are underrepresented due to ongoing, structural inequalities in the academy.
Inclusive Language and Behaviour: Use inclusive language, avoid assumptions and be thoughtful in how you address others. Derogatory or discriminatory remarks based on any facet of identity and intersections of these, are absolutely and unequivocally unacceptable.
Wellbeing, safety and support: We prioritize the wellbeing and safety of all attendees and aim to support and make comfortable everyone who comes along. We are against harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behaviour We want the MSSL to be a safe space. Any issues can and should be reported to the event organisers who are committed to addressing any matters quickly and sensitively. Members of our HIFMB ‘Persons of Trust’ Team will also be available during the event. We will also provide a ‘quiet zone’.
Environmental Sustainability: Consider the environmental impact of the event and minimize waste and resource consumption whenever possible.
Thank you for your commitment to upholding these values and contributing to a respectful and inclusive environment.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: marine.governance@hifmb.de
*Publications of Dr. Satya Savitzky
S Savitzky (2016). Icy Futures: Carving the Northern Sea Route. PhD Thesis University of Lancaster.