West Coast Publishing Ocean 2014 affirmative page

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Link Turn- Exploration

Link turn—ocean exploration is key to understand and reverse climate change

Marcia McNutt, Editor-in-Chief of Science magazine, August 30, 2013, “Accelerating Ocean Exploration”, Accessed April 4, 2014, http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6149/937
Last month, a distinguished group of ocean researchers and explorers convened in Long Beach, California, at the Aquarium of the Pacific to assess progress and future prospects in ocean exploration. Thirteen years ago, U.S. President Clinton challenged a similar group to provide a blueprint for ocean exploration and discovery. Since then, the fundamental rationale has not changed: to collect high-quality data on the physics, chemistry, biology, and geology of the oceans that can be used to answer known questions as well as those we do not yet know enough to pose, to develop new instruments and systems to explore the ocean in new dimensions, and to engage a new generation of youth in science and technology. Recently, however, exploration has taken on a more urgent imperative: to record the substantial changes occurring in largely undocumented regions of the ocean. With half of the ocean more than 10 kilometers from the nearest depth sounding, ecosystem function in the deep sea still a mystery, and no first-order baseline for many globally important ocean processes, the current pace of exploration is woefully inadequate to address this daunting task, especially as the planet responds to changes in climate. To meet this challenge, future ocean exploration must depart dramatically from the classical ship-based expeditions of the past devoted to mapping and sampling.

Link Turn- Exploration

Exploration is key to reverse environmental damage of the ocean

Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman & CEO of XPRIZE, October 24, 2013, “A NEW AGE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION MAY JUST SAVE US”, Accessed may 3, 2014, http://oceanhealth.xprize.org/blog/2013/10/24/new-age-ocean-exploration-may-just-save-us-0

A renewed golden age of exploration in the 21st century might just be the key to a healthy and valued planet. Although we've already ignited unprecedented advances into space, there is still so much of our planet left unexplored. For starters, we know remarkably little about the ocean covering the majority of our planet's surface: almost 95% of our ocean remains undiscovered. The time is right to reignite the discovery of new places and new knowledge here on Earth, as individuals are now empowered more than ever to do what was only possible by governments and large corporations. Before humans explored frontiers beyond our atmosphere, they sought out frontiers here on our own planet. And the history of ocean exploration is one that reminds us that we have always longed to explore the unknown, and that innovative and ambitious explorers will push those horizons no matter what. Yet with reduced government spending, especially in comparison to space exploration, and the fact that the ocean is not owned by one specific entity, there is a void. What will catalyze ocean exploration? Who will steward the ocean and dive to its depths to uncover its mysteries? There was a long-held notion that audacious exploration needed primary support from the government. When we launched the Ansari XPRIZE in 1996, many scoffed at the idea that private citizens, using private financing, could build innovative spacecraft that successfully launch into space. Their response to what we were attempting to achieve often makes me think of a quote, "Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not." — George Bernard Shaw. Our proof is the new market that developed with the Ansari XPRIZE; private space transport is now a $1.5 billion industry. It's clear that exploration in the 21st century is not just for government-supported programs anymore. We must remember that for most of human history, exploration was driven primarily by private industry. It wasn't until the mid-20th century that most research and development was funded directly by large governmental grant programs. Even famous government-sponsored ocean explorations provide a history lesson we can use to ignite this new Age of Exploration. Consider the journeys of Christopher Columbus. Long before state sponsorship from Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Columbus secured most of his financial backing from diverse private sources. Which is why XPRIZE is in a unique position to not only galvanize the community of ocean innovators but also thought leaders, government agencies, industry, philanthropists and advocates in service of a bold vision for the future of the ocean, one that is healthy, valued, and understood. This is really just a return to previous patterns of success rather than a huge shift in how exploration is conducted. With the challenges we currently face, environmentally and economically, we cannot leave exploration of our blue planet up to governments alone. Instead, quite the opposite: We need to crowd source innovators from around the globe to take up the charge of discovering the secrets our ocean holds, while working to preserve it. Consider the challenges facing the ocean: carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere has made the ocean 30% more acidic than it was just 200 years ago, with devastating consequences for corals, mollusks, fish, and entire ecosystems. Pollution from plastics to fertilizers creates massive "dead zones" and swirling gyres of garbage that further sicken the seas upon which the health of the planet depends. Unabated overfishing has shown that 90% of the big fish in the sea are now gone. How can we turn back this tide of challenges affecting the health of our ocean unless we first value the ocean? And valuing it means not just taking a personal interest, but taking the time to understand the challenges and creating real incentives, particularly financial incentives, behind the sustainable use of our ocean.