‘The Government Office for Science has launched a new Foresight project which will look at the important future trends, challenges and opportunities for the UK from the sea. The sea covers 70% of the world’s surface and is essential to regulating global temperature, oxygen and water. Including its overseas territories, the UK has jurisdiction over the 5th largest area of ocean of any country in the world.

Technological advances are creating new opportunities to understand the sea, its resources and the effects of climate change. The Government Office for Science’s new Foresight project will consider the role that science and technology can play in understanding and providing solutions to long-term issues affecting the future of the sea.

The project will work with policy-makers to identify the most important future trends, challenges and opportunities for the UK from the sea.  The Prime Minister has suggested the new international seabed mining industry alone could be worth £40 billion to the UK economy over the next 30 years.

Commenting on the project, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Mark Walport said:

“Oceans are vital to all life on our planet. They produce over half the oxygen we breathe, absorb most of the carbon from our atmosphere and help control our weather. They also provide food for us and transport routes for our goods.”

“Technological advances are opening new opportunities to understand the sea, for example how oceanic processes such as acidification affect the globe or what resources may be under the sea floor.”

“This project will help policy makers to identify the most important trends, challenges and opportunities for the UK from the world’s seas and oceans.”

The project will begin by focusing on the following areas:

• resources and economic potential of the sea
• environmental issues
• governance of the sea

These areas are likely to develop over the course of the project. Foresight projects last about 12 months and take a user-needs approach to scope where new or emerging science can inform policy.

The costs and benefits analysed will range from those more focused on private industry (minerals, fisheries, marine employment, offshore industry renewables and shipping), to those that are for the public good (biodiversity and ecosystem services, climate change, mitigation and recreation), alongside social and cultural aspects. The Government Office for Science is planning to explore including public dialogue early on in the project.  Click here to see the details