Coastal infrastructurePriorities for ocean science over next decade: Sea-level rise, geohazards

A new report from the National Research Council identifies priority areas for ocean science research in the next decade, including the rate and impacts of sea-level rise, the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, greater understanding of marine food webs, and better approaches for forecasting hazards such as mega-earthquakes and tsunamis. The report also recommends that the National Science Foundation rebalance its funding for ocean science research, which in recent years has shifted toward research infrastructure at the expense of core science programs.

“The next decade and beyond should be a time of opportunity and progress in ocean science, with advances that benefit the societal and economic goals not only of our nation but also the world,” said Shirley Pomponi, co-chair of the committee that wrote the report and research professor and executive director of the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute-Florida Atlantic University. “We hope this report, which incorporates broad input from the community of ocean scientists, will provide NSF and other agencies with a vision and strategic direction for ocean science research.”

An NRC release reports that the decadal survey was undertaken at the request of the Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE) at the National Science Foundation, the main funder of basic research in the ocean sciences.  In identifying priority research areas, the study committee collected input from the ocean sciences community through in-person and virtual town hall meetings, literature reviews, presentations by academic and government scientists, and discussions with colleagues. To select top priorities among the many topics gathered, the committee applied four criteria: transformative research potential, societal impact, readiness, and partnership potential.