From Oceans to Markets: Marine Exploitation and Climate-Economy Dynamics

This presentation offers insights from the 4-OCEANS project, a comprehensive initiative exploring human-marine interactions throughout history, and presents specific findings on climate-economy dynamics in early modern Europe. The 4-OCEANS project addresses three key questions:

1. When and where was marine exploitation significantly impactful on human society?
2. How did socio-economic, cultural, and environmental forces influence marine exploitation?
3. What were the consequences of marine exploitation for societal development and ocean ecosystems?

Within this broader context, we focus on a case study examining climate-economy interactions in early modern Europe (1565-1785). Using advanced econometric techniques, we analyze how climate variability and socio-political factors affected food prices across 14 European cities. Our findings reveal that extreme weather events, particularly when coinciding with periods of conflict like the Thirty Years' War, significantly impacted price dynamics and market integration. This research contributes directly to the 4-OCEANS project by illuminating the complex interplay between environmental factors, human activities, and economic systems over time. By examining these historical patterns, we gain insights into the long-term consequences of human-environment interactions, addressing the project's core questions about the impacts and drivers of marine exploitation. These findings not only deepen our historical knowledge but also inform current debates on climate change, resource management, and economic resilience, demonstrating the relevance of the 4-OCEANS project to contemporary challenges.

• Michael Puma, Senior Research Scientist at Columbia University
• Emile Esmaili, Research Assistant at Columbia University

Free and open to Columbia University ID holders; registration required.

Part of the History and Climate Change workshop series hosted by the Environmental Sciences and Humanities Research Cluster at the Center for Science and Society.

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