Killing Our Oceans: Dealing with the Mass Extinction of Marine Life

(Hardback)

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In his Ark of the Broken Covenant, Kunich showed that Earth's species are concentrated in 25 zones of ecological significance known as biodiversity hotspots, and maintained that we'd go a long way toward saving many species from extinction if we'd focus our protective laws and regulations on these zones. In Killing Our Oceans he extends this analysis to the extraordinary pockets of life in the oceans that are similarly threatened. In his Ark of the Broken Covenant, Kunich showed that Earth's species are concentrated in 25 zones of ecological significance known as biodiversity hotspots, and that we'd go a long way toward saving many species from extinction if we'd focus our protective laws and regulations on these zones. In Killing Our Oceans he extends this analysis to the extraordinary pockets of life in the oceans that are similarly threatened. From coral reefs to recently discovered hydrothermal vents, the oceans contain vast numbers of endangered species. We are rapidly losing these unique, irreplaceable treasures, due in part to an appalling lack of efficacious safeguards. What's in it for us if we intervene to halt this mass extinction Quite possibly the greatest medical, nutritional, and scientific breakthroughs in all of human history, just waiting to be discovered and harnessedor forever lost along with the dying species that hold the keys to these secrets. Kunich examines in detail the applicable international laws as well as domestic laws of the nations with key marine resources, and demonstrates the abject failure of these measures to prevent or halt a mass extinction in our oceans. He concludes with a set of legal proposals that could start us down the road to preserving the marine hotspots and, with them, most of Earth's biodiversity. Legal solutions are not the only answer, but they are a beginning.

Reviews

It's long been known humankind is destroying the oceans, and plenty of titles have surveyed the problem: what makes Killing Our Oceans: Dealing With the Mass Extinction of Marine Life different is an extension of the author's prior analysis of threatened hotspots from land to pockets of ocean life. Here also is a focus on international law and regulations pertaining to the ocean, along with efforts and language of domestic laws of nations with such key marine resources another differentiation which makes Killing Our Oceans a powerful recommendation not just for college-level science holdings, but collections concerned with international legal applications of social issues. It's this dual legal and science approach which makes for a top pick, here. * MBR: California Bookwatch *
Kunich argues that the earth is in the midst of its sixth mass extinction of species and that the extinction is perhaps hitting the world's oceans the hardest. Further, the legions of domestic and international laws that are supposed to ensure the health of the oceans have done nothing to address the problem and instead act merely as a dangerous placebo. After detailing this situation, he proposes a new legal paradigm for safeguarding marine life; one that is based on an incentives-based statutory approach similar to the US Congress's Tropical Forest Conservation Act of 1998. * SciTech Book News *
[P]resents an overview of basic oceanography and explains that the current massive extinction of ocean life has one primary cause: humankind. Asking why, if we're responsible for this distruction, we don't take responsibility for it.Kunich believes that individual nations have too narrow a view of the dire situation and that the lack of a world court with enough clout to settle international disputes effectively perpetuates our destruction of marine life. Kunich concludes with thought-provoking proposals for the establishment of worldwide ocean protection and conservation. * Booklist *

Author Bio

John Charles Kunich is Associate Professor of Law, Appalachian School of Law, Virginia, and the author of several books.