Center for Coastal & Marine Studies
MSP-GREEN CLOSING NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED
"Two years have passed quickly. However, much has changed since the project's inception, also in the applications of the European Green Deal policy, both at legislative level (e.g. approval of the Nature Restoration Law, that came into effect on August 2024) and in the response of the society (e.g. Europe is decarbonising at an unprecedented pace, with 74 % of electric power coming from renewable and low-carbon energy sources, marking a significant increase compared to the 68% share in 2023). Over these two years, we collaborated with many ongoing European initiatives focused on maritime transition and marine management. Dedicated teams from all participating countries spent remarkable efforts in ensuring that project’s results were produced on time, consistently and widely disseminated. In this work, we were also supported by inputs from our Advisory Board, DG Mare, and CINEA. After two years of work, we remain convinced—and our successful joint final conference with Regina-MSP confirmed—that the path initiated by MSP-GREEN, in making Maritime Spatial Planning an enabler of the Green Deal, is essential for achieving sustainable transitions at sea. The recent climate emergencies underscore the urgency of winning the Green Deal, and the way forward is clear. The sea horizon, is green, indeed."
On behalf of the MSP-GREEN Project Coordination, November 2024
The following Newsletter encloses the MSP-GREEN project, but its' mission continues...
Discover below to gain recommendatory information and important reflections from our partnership!
Read the full newsletter here!
Read our recent Marine Policy article on the implementation of the EU MSP Directive!
The paper, with lead author Jacek Zaucha, and co-authored by Margarita Stancheva (CCMS), takes stock of the impact the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive 2014/89/EU has had on developing maritime spatial planning (MSP) practice in Europe. Drawing on the practical experience of 22 Member States, it analyses how countries with varying political, planning and regional contexts, as well as varying MSP experience prior to 2014, have chosen to implement the Directive and what lessons they have learned in the process. A key lesson is that while the Directive provides a normative framework for approaching MSP, this has been variously adapted to national contexts. MSP in Europe is thus characterised by varied territorial coverage of plans, different national institutional arrangements for MSP, a variety of planning processes, and a variety of sectors covered by maritime spatial plans.
CCMS at the MSP WEEK, MSP-GREEN & REGINA-MSP Final conferences & MSP4BIO think-thank science-policy dialogue in Marseille, 22-24 October 2024
On 22nd of October 2024 “A Decade of European MSP – Stakeholder Conference”, an exciting and dynamic conference exploring the evolving landscape of MSP was conducted in Marseille, France. The conference brings together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the European Union and beyond, to foster dialogue, share best practices, and chart a course towards more integrated and sustainable maritime planning. Over five engaging sessions, the accomplishments of the last decade, lessons learnt, challenges, and future direction of MSP, highlighting the critical role of stakeholder engagement, regional cooperation, and innovative technologies were explored. The discussions covered a wide range of priority topics, from the impact of the European Green Deal on MSP to the integration of climate-smart trends and cutting-edge technologies, how MSP plans are being updated to address contemporary issues such as climate change and multi-use conflicts, the benefits and challenges of data-driven innovations like digital twins for marine environments.
BLUE CONNECT Kick-off start in Berlin!
Between 30 September – 2 October 2024 all project partners met in Berlin, Germany to kick-off the start of the BLUE CONNECT project
SUBMARINER and its partners launched the BLUE CONNECT project on 30 September 2024 in Berlin. This ambitious project addresses the urgent need to protect and restore marine habitats and ecosystems and to overcome gaps in the effective implementation of EU and global legislation by mobilizing the MPA managers, authorities, industries and local communities to co-develop and demonstrate a systematic approach to marine conservation planning and management. CCMS is partner in the BLUE CONNECT and leads the Work package 4 – Showcasing effective co-ownership and co-management: engaging stakeholders and citizens.
