Perceptions, knowledge claims and managements of coasts Hans von Storch Institute for Coastal Research GKSS Research Center, Germany Twelfth Pacific Congress on Marine Science and Technology, PACON 2006: Marine Science and Technology in Asia, Yangon, Myanmar, June 11-15, 2006

The coastal zone ... Most people live here. Provides a large variety of services and goods (e.g., fisheries, energy, aestetic pleasure) Is continuously changed by man.

RADARSAT ScanSAR Image 9.June1996

Shipping

Fishing

Off shore industry

Energy

mariculture

tourism

Deposition of waste

Military use

The coastal zone ... Needs a sustainable development for ongoingly providing goods and services. Is undergoing a change of utility, from industrial („mature“ economy) to high-quality lifestyles (information based „new“ economy).

Coastal Research Coasts need to be managed. Management needs a scientific basis. Natural and social/cultural sciences needed for guiding the process of exploiting the full potential of the coastal zone in future economies and societies.

Natural and Anthropogenic Coastal Management Research Traffic and Off-shore work safetiness Transport of matter Tourism Climate change Monitoring Eco- systems Coastal protection Marine resources Flood forecast Safety in coastal traffic and offshore structures Natural and Anthropogenic long term trends

Task: Monitoring the state and the change of the coastal environment Affordable Reliable Holistic High-tech economic enterprise.

EUROROSE: Gijón Experiment WaMoS II HF Radar WaveBuoy Gijon ERS-2 SAR EUROROSE: Gijón Experiment Waves mapped by SAR onboard of the ERS-2 Satellite

WERA VHS radar VTS Gijón Heinz Günther, Coordinator of EUROROSE WaMoS II WERA VHS radar Heinz Günther, Coordinator of EUROROSE

User interface: current speed and direction Institut für Küstenforschung I f K User interface: current speed and direction

Challenge: Climate Change (and other anthropogenic impacts) Man-made climate change is underway. Part of the recent climate change is due to natural processes, another part is man-made. Climate change may presents stress on society and economy, which may be sometimes healthy as it enforces modernization and improvements.

Scenario for North Sea in 2085 Change of strong westerly winds (m/s) Change in wind-related water levels (99%iles; m)

Problem: Postnormal Science Postnormal science: high stakes, high uncertainty. Competition of different knowledge claims. Environmental science is in most cases postnormal science. The problem is not insufficient natural science knowledge about details but about the integration of a variety of vested interests and their related knowledge claims.

For a long time, the „market of knowledge“ was dominated by science, specifically by natural science. Today various forms of knowledge claims are competing on this market. This is in particular so with respect to knowledge about the environment, which is widely used to support various normative views of different stakeholders.

Competing knowledge forms are Prescientific and outdated, or discredited, scientific knowledge. Reinterpreted knowledge (media), resulting from a selection and metamorphosis of scientific knowledge for public information. Science specifically designed to represent vested interests. Ideological, religious and ethical knowledge. Everyday knowledge. Traditional (indigenous) knowledge.

manageable Natural science Institut für Küstenforschung I f K „The coast can be computed and is manageable.“ manageable

endagered Environmentalists „Man is destroying nature.“ Institut für Küstenforschung I f K „Man is destroying nature.“ endagered Der Mensch zerstört die Küste

unadulterated Health industry / tourism Institut für Küstenforschung I f K „The coast is natural. Its purity and originality makes it a place for relaxation, mental and bodily recovery.“ unadulterated

externally controlled Local interests externally controlled Institut für Küstenforschung I f K „Locals know what is best for their region. They don‘t need governmental regulations.“

threatening Coastal safety Institut für Küstenforschung I f K threatening „Nature needs to be controlled to ensure safety.“

Conclusion The different forms of knowledge claims compete in daily conversations and the public discourse. For a knowledge claim to „win“ on the knowledge market, it must allow for practical implementation. Also, it must be plausible, i.e. be consistent with traditional knowledge. Natural science knowledge often lacks both characteristics (applicability, plausibility), because this type of knowledge is disaggregated without allowing an overall assessment of a problem and its solution. What is needed is the integration of different knowledge aspects, instead.

Institut für Küstenforschung I f K Coastal research should be designed to assist the public in gaining an understanding of the phenomena and perspectives. This task needs: Interpretive analysis of risks Presentation of scientific concepts and notions in a cultural and social context. For accomplishing these needs, cooperation between natural scientists and social and cultural scientists is urgently required.