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In combination, climate change and meeting an ever-growing demand for energy pose major environmental and civil security challenges.
Well-informed business leaders increasingly understand that future profits depend on recognising and responding to these challenges. As well as being a threat they also represent an opportunity. It is businesses that will deliver the engineering, scientific and technological developments necessary to mitigate and adapt to climate change, achieve sustainable energy supplies and respond to threats to environmental and civil security.
The oceans control climate and are a major source of energy, both as fossil fuel, and increasingly from renewable resources. Climate change and unsustainable resource exploitation pose a threat to the ocean environment. Conflicts over resources impact on the safety of maritime activities and the integrity of maritime borders.
Marine engineers, scientists and technologists therefore have an especially important role. It is the marine engineering, science and technology community that holds the key to better understanding the role of the oceans in climate, protecting the ocean environment, engineering the capability to tap the vast energy resources of the ocean, protecting coastal areas from storms and flooding, and ensuring the safe and secure conduct of maritime activities and maritime trade.
Through keynote papers the 2008 Oceanology International Conference will explore the threats, challenges and opportunities posed by climate change, meeting future energy needs and ensuring environmental and civil security. Scientific and technical papers will show how the marine engineering, science and technology community is helping to deliver solutions.
CONFERENCE THEMES FOCUS
The Oceans and Climate Change
Climate change is one of the most challenging issues facing the global community. The recent work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has identified the significant global and regional changes that will occur with a continued rise in levels of greenhouse gases. There remain large uncertainties in the magnitude and distribution of these changes, not least due to the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the crucial role the oceans play in driving our weather and climate.
Improved monitoring of the oceans, through programmes such as the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), are vital to reducing the uncertainties in our predictions of global and regional change. The need for better monitoring of the oceans and coastal seas give rise to a wealth of opportunities for new and improved sensors and instruments, communication technologies and analysis and interpretation techniques.
This strand of the conference will showcase the innovative science and technology being brought to bear on better understanding the marine environment.
Energy from the Oceans
The world has a growing need for energy. As hydrocarbon resources in mature offshore areas declines, the focus is on accessing new resources located in more remote and challenging environments.
Demand for energy is set against the background of increasing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions. Dependence on hydrocarbons is set to continue with progressive moves to manage greenhouse gas emissions through sequestration. Renewable energy sources have a growing part to play in helping to reduce emissions and making an increasing contribution to the overall energy mix.
Improved knowledge of the oceans is critical to frontier offshore exploration and production and the development of marine renewable energy.
This strand of the conference will show how the marine science and ocean technology community is rising to the challenge of meeting these needs through innovative bathymetric, geophysical, geotechnical and metocean survey techniques.
Environmental and Civil Security
Ocean acidification and the progressive warming of the oceans add a global dimension to the pressures on the marine environment. Increased and often unsustainable use of marine resources, and the impact of rapid growth in coastal population make effective management of coastal seas ever more complex.
Climate change directly impacts coastal populations and offshore operations through rising sea-levels and possible changes in the frequency and severity of storms.
The threat of climate related population displacement adds to pressing concerns over border security in a world already facing the challenge of protecting against terrorist threats.
This strand of the conference will explore how marine science and ocean technology underpin the protection of the environment and help to ensure the security of offshore operations, maritime trade and coastal populations. |
