The next frontier: Human settlements in the marine environment. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mastrantonis, Stanley; Dubininkas, Vitalis
• Is Part Of: Futures. Volume 140(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Blue acceleration -- Marine spatial planning -- Urban ecology -- Sustainable development; EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone -- GEBCO General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans -- IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature -- MPA Marine Protected Area -- MSP Maine Spatail Plan -- MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer -- NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration -- NCEAS National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis -- NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; Economic forecasting -- Periodicals; Technological forecasting -- Periodicals; Economic policy -- Periodicals; Prévision économique -- Périodiques; Prévision technologique -- Périodiques; Politique économique -- Périodiques; Economic forecasting; Economic policy; Technological forecasting; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 330.0112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.futures.2022.102953
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-3287

Abstract

Abstract: Human settlements have impacted most terrestrial environments on Earth. With a rapidly growing global population, surging demands for resources, and unprecedented alteration to Earth's ecosystems, the conservation of our only suitable habitat is a contemporary zeitgeist. Moreover, humanity's nature for enterprise and exploitation continuously pushes the frontiers of exploration, while the governance associated with expansion beyond terra firma is uncertain and rife with conflict. Though the notion of human expansion into the oceans is becoming more orthodox, we have largely overlooked Earth's oceans as space for human habitat. Here, we build on the case for humanity's future in the marine environment and discuss how exploring this frontier will result in advances for industries, economies, and exploration. The "Blue Acceleration" could transform the nascent phenomenon of marine cities into reality, and we support this notion with a global marine spatial plan to assess the suitability of marine settlements. Our analysis shows that every oceanic basin supports regions for sustainable human settlements. More broadly, we discuss the implications of a human-marine frontier and the benefits that will ensue for science, humanity and our planet. Finally, we argue that the human-marine frontier should be an immediate steppingstone for future exploration, innovation and discovery. Highlights: We have developed a spatial model to evaluate the feasibility of establishing sustainable marine settlements. We used 21 datasets representing environmental and socioeconomic opportunities or constraints to inform our model. Our model shows that there are several suitable locations for establishing marine settlements. We discuss the implications of settling our oceans as a stepping for future exploration.