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The time to act is now

"The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the globe’s surface, so if we want to turn climate change around, we need to look to the ocean. The ocean is our planetary life support system and if we don’t understand it and take care of it, the future of our ocean planet could be compromised to the detriment of mankind and all living creatures."

—Francis E. Fowler IV

Read About the Center

The Center supports Fellows focused on research and activities to address these pressing questions, including guest speakers through our seminar series, to stimulate discussion, research and action. Further, the Center engages in national and international climate and ocean related meetings and initiatives to bring WHOI research to the forefront of forecasting coastal environmental health and resilience.

CURRENT THEME

Oceans and Climate Change: Forecasting Coastal Environmental Health and Resilience

Coastal environments are subject to innumerable stressors. They host many of the world's growing megacities. They are also uniquely vulnerable to climate change, facing challenges from rising seas, marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, as well as stronger, more frequent, and longer lasting storms. Predicting how coastal environments will change is essential to support resource management, risk reduction, hazard mitigation, and resilience efforts.

Research Questions

How is climate impacting coastal environmental health and resilience?

Can climate effects on coastal environmental health and resilience be forecasted?

How do we provide a meaningful scientific framework for supporting coastal environmental management decisions?

Fellowship Program

The centerpiece of the Center’s activities is a vibrant fellowship program that is providing support for two current and nine former Francis E. Fowler IV Center Fellows.

Current Fellows

Outreach, Communications, and Policy

The impact of science and engineering depends in no small part on raising public awareness and informing policy, both public and corporate. The Center aims to enhance the real-world impact of its research by broadly communicating its findings and supporting efforts to translate scientific results into evidence that domestic and international leaders can use in shaping future ocean and climate policies.

Policy Impact
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