Case Study 2 Written Commentary

Ocean diplomacy falls under the broad umbrella of science diplomacy and science diplomacy is

constantly changing and evolving in tandem with the ever evolving nature of science itself. The world

itself is also constantly changing and evolving, with new practices being discovered and old practices

being discarded. These practices also involve direct and indirect interaction with the environment which

includes the ocean.

In order for ocean diplomacy to be developed and address new challenges associated with

ocean protection, new laws have to be agreed upon and put in place to cover areas of ocean protection

that are either not previously considered or are caught in a loophole of existing protection laws.

Basically, the laws of the sea have to be updated to match the time and practices of the era. These laws

also have to be open to amendments as they concern an ever evolving global aspect. There can also be

an ease of access to technology that could bridge the gap between developed and developing countries

in their research into their immediate water zones.

Case study 2 Short Essay Question

One of the current diplomatic challenges at stake in safeguarding the Atlantic Ocean is the

existence of national gaps in research. The more powerful and developed nations have available

resources and technical knowhow to be actively contributing members of the alliances concerned with

the Atlantic Ocean and its protection, while the less powerful and developing nations lack the scientific

capability and ability to bridge the gaps in research on their own, Nations like Brazil and South Africa

have shown interest in bridging that gap. In the case of the All Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, Science

diplomacy was applied as a tool to balance national interests and broader ocean community interests.
 Another challenge is the existence of multi-level governance and varying internal differences

between member nations of the All Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. The alliance was based on various

already existing bilateral agreements between nations with each nation agreeing to the multilateral

alliance based on the general concern for the protection of the Atlantic Ocean.

The fact that there is no means of enforcing resolutions of the alliance in order to safeguard the

Atlantic Ocean also serves as a diplomatic challenge. Nations can either cooperate at the barest

minimum level or can take their time complying with terms of the agreement and bear little to no

consequences.