Coastal Resilience Webinar Series
21 January 2025, 14:30 pm CET
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Speaker
Professor Ana Queirós

Abstract
Climate change adaptation and mitigation are seen as key steps to Sustainable Ocean Planning. Without adaptation considerations, spatial management of marine resources and protected areas will become ineffective. What’s more, ocean-based climate change mitigation actions are needed to help decelerate and offset the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. Many nations around the world, and high-level policy documents, thus now recognise climate-smart Marine Spatial Planning policies as necessary components of sustainable human activities in the ocean, and of a sustainable future for our planet. In this talk, I will discuss a real-life example of collaboration at the science-policy interface in this space: such examples are seen as a key accelerators towards making this ambition a reality. I will also highlight key solutions developed and co-developed in this space, discussing areas where progress has been made, describing successful strategies, and outlining where further gains could be made at regional, national and internation level, to realise the opportunity that Marine Spatial Planning presents to deliver needed and broader climate action, for nature and for people.

More information about the Speaker

Professor Ana Queirós is a Principal Investigator of marine ecology and climate change at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and an Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter (UK). Ana has spent the last 10 years developing climate change modelling applications, and transdisciplinary decision support tools, to enable policy-makers and other end-users to make evidence-based decisions towards the sustainable spatial management of the ocean. Her work has focused specifically on Marine Spatial Planning, MPAs, fisheries and blue carbon habitats. Ana’s work has involved collaborations around the world, with a special focus in the UK, Europe, SE Asia, Australia and the Western Indian Ocean. She is involved in a number of initiatives within the UN Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development, and was the 2022 AXA IM Research Award winner.