2. CHALLENGES OF URBAN
COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
Cities by the Sea
More than half of the world’s
population lives by the coast, with
a growing fraction in cities.
More than two-thirds of the
world’s megacities are on the
coast.
90 percent of all marine species
live along the coast.
BOSTON
HONG KONG
SHANGHAI
STOCKHOLM
3. CHALLENGES OF URBAN
COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99%
of large bodies of water on Earth
4. Homeland Security
95% of international cargo coming to
the US arrives via ships.
Ballast water in cargo ships carry
invasive species that disrupt
native ecosystems.
CHALLENGES OF URBAN
COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
5. The Economy
Coastal areas contribute $1 trillion
to annual US GDP & support
60 million jobs
Nation’s ports: $700 billion/year
Economically, Boston is the 8th most
vulnerable coastal city in the world
CHALLENGES OF URBAN
COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
6. Overfishing
One out of five people on
the planet rely on fish as a
primary source of protein.
70% of the world’s fish
species are either fully
exploited or depleted.
Major economic impact
from depleted fisheries
CHALLENGES OF URBAN
COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
Lack of understanding
complex ecology impedes
policy.
7. COASTAL SYSTEMS ARE AT GROUND
ZERO FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
Coastal ecosystems are the
interface between the ocean and land
Among the most poorly understood
ecosystems due to their complexity
8. Coupled Human-Natural Ecosystems
• Humans are the source of most problems- can we be
part of the solution?
• Human societies are intimately coupled to our
natural environment (whether we recognize it or not)
• We need to understand not just the few pristine
systems left, but coupled human-natural ecosystems
9. New Marine Biology Major
CHRISTINE PRINCE
“The Three Seas Program and the co-ops
available give unique and exciting opportunities
to anyone who chooses this major.”
We Have Outstanding and Unique Coastal Sustainability Academic Programs
Three Seas Marine Biology Program
Unparalleled Experiential Education
WHY NORTHEASTERN?
10. Hiring Faculty in Urban Coastal Sustainability Across the University
• Climate Change & Ecological
Forecasting
• Genomics (Ocean Genome
Legacy)
• Ocean Engineering & Remote
Sensing
• Biodiversity & Ecosystem Function
• Fisheries Biology
• Community & Evolutionary Ecology
• Biogeochemistry
• Conservation Management &
Policy
Law & Policy Engineering
Science
Urban Coastal
Sustainability
WHY NORTHEASTERN?
11. A Few of Our Outstanding Faculty
RANDALL HUGHES
Biodiversity, Conservation Biology
JONATHAN
GRABOWSKI
Fisheries Biology, Ecology
Robotics,
Coral Reef Ecology
JUSTIN RIES
Biogeochemistry,
Ocean Acidification
NEW FACULTY HIRES
MARK
PATTERSON
12. The ultimate example of living as part of the natural environment
Fabien Cousteau’s Mission 31
13. Ability to study impacts of climate change continuously for
an entire month (more from Mark)
WHY FABIEN COUSTEAU’S MISSION 31?
14. The ultimate example of living as part of the natural environment
WHY FABIEN COUSTEAU’S MISSION 31?
16. MARINE SCIENCE CENTER AT NAHANT
Renovated Edwards Laboratory…
New state-of-the-art seawater delivery
system
New Experimental Greenhouse and Tank Farm
17. The Marine Science Center
MSC IS AMONG THE ONLY MAJOR MARINE LABS IN
THE WORLD CLOSE TO A MAJOR URBAN CENTER
Editor's Notes
Saveourseas.com for coastal stat
LNG Tanker escorted into Boston Harbor
Cruise and cargo ships docked at Black Falcon terminal in Boston