Edited by Agathe Euzen
, Françoise Gaill, Denis Lacroix, and Philippe Cury
L'Océan à découvert
CNRS Editions, 2017, 322 p. (Coll. A découvert)
It covers 70% of the globe's surface, largely regulates the Earth's climate, and is home to a multitude of species, many of which are yet to be discovered.
The ocean plays a major role in the functioning of life on Earth. With global change, multiple challenges have emerged, the future consequences of which affect all of humanity.
This book aims to provide a better understanding of the ocean in all its extent, depth, and complexity, from both a physical and biological perspective, including its interactions and dynamics. To explore it, numerous tools, infrastructures, and original approaches have been developed to obtain the data and information essential to a better understanding. History shows the evolution of techniques and representations that link human communities to the oceans and the diversity of uses they make of them. Considered as a resource, a service, or a territorial issue, the ocean is essential but vulnerable. It faces multiple risks, from flooding to pollution, and managing these risks requires anticipation in the face of increasing human activity. This raises the question of the future of the ocean, a space often considered infinite and unlimited, described as geostrategic by some and a common good by others.