The Future of Marine Spatial Planning—Perspectives from Early Career Researchers

In early 2021, the Erasmus+ knowledge flows partnership organised a session to discuss the future of marine spatial planning (MSP) at an international conference. We, a group of nine early career researchers, came together after the conference to continue the discussion: which topics should be considered in future MSP, what are the challenges, and which solutions are there to overcome these challenges? This communication shall raise awareness of the topics of climate change, ecological sustainability, blue justice, ecosystem services, and blue governance, which we identified as important for future MSP endeavours. We show the interconnectedness of the topics and argue that transdisciplinary education is required to contribute to a common understanding of MSP, which adopts an ecosystem-based approach, ensures equitable distribution of benefits, and secures ecologically sustainable development within an adaptive governance framework

Marine Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Management as drivers for a more international, interdisciplinary and interactive approach to higher education

[EN] Environment and sustainability issues are becoming increasingly important world-wide. They also determine future career options of students. This change demands a modified portfolio of competences students should develop during their higher eduction studies. Within a multidimensional field between interdisciplinarity, internationalisation and interactivity various pathways can be taken to realise according adjustment of higher education settings. In this paper, we will present an example for successful innovation and adaptation to emerging needs. We refer to the case of an interdisciplinary module tailored to a international student group by creating interactivity in an online learning environment. The module has its topical drivers in Marine Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Both societal challenges provide multiple options to connect  plus innovate existing (disciplinary) study programmes in an institutional framework.Behrendt, T.; Ripken, M.; Klenke, T. (2022). Marine Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Management as drivers for a more international, interdisciplinary and interactive approach to higher education. En 8th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'22). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1177-1184. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd22.2022.146331177118

Linking Marine Ecosystem Services to the North Sea’s Energy Fields in Transnational Marine Spatial Planning

Marine spatial planning temporally and spatially allocates marine resources to different users. The ecosystem approach aims at optimising the social and economic benefits people derive from marine resources while preserving the ecosystem’s health. Marine ecosystem services are defined as the benefits people obtain from marine ecosystems. The aim of this study is to determine which interrelations between marine ecosystem services and the marine energy industry can be identified for use in transnational marine spatial planning exemplified in the North Sea region. As the North Sea is one of the busiest seas worldwide, the risk of impairing the ecosystems through anthropogenic pressures is high. Drawing on a literature-based review, 23 marine ecosystem services provided by the North Sea region were defined and linked to seven offshore energy fields comprising oil and natural gas, wind, tides and currents, waves, salinity gradients, algal biomass, and geothermal heat. The interactions were divided into four categories: dependence, impact, bidirectional, or no interaction. Oil and natural gas, as well as algae biomass, are the fields with the most relations with marine ecosystem services while waves and salinity gradients exhibit the least. Some marine ecosystem services (Conditions for Infrastructure, Regulation of Water Flows, and Cognitive Development) are needed for all fields; Recreation and Tourism, Aesthetic and Cultural Perceptions and Traditions, Cognitive Development, and Sea Scape are impacted by all fields. The results of this research provide an improved basis for an ecosystem approach in transnational marine spatial planning

Applications for sustainable cities and smart infrastructures

The Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Challenge game: Short Sea Shipping (SSS) Edition is a table-top strategy board game, designed for policy-makers and stakeholders involved in MSP, short-sea shipping and the Blue Economy. It is a âserious gameâ, allowing the development of a better understanding of the issues involved in MSP through creative and imaginative role playing, taking into account the relevant professional and personal experience of the players. The authors present and discuss the use of the MSP Challenge board game to test how, and to what extent, the concept can help stakeholders understand Maritime Spatial Planning

Exploring ecosystem-based approaches in MSP through actor-driven perceptual mapping

International audienceThis paper introduces an interactive method which aims to map out perspectives on the state of ecosystem-based approaches (EbA) in marine spatial planning (MSP). MSP meets a need for organising the allocation of space to maritime uses. MSP should also control and limit the pressures induced by these activities on marine ecosystems. To evaluate how EbA is actually applied, this research proposes a participatory method to assess the effectiveness of current EbA practices within MSP process using perceptual maps. The mapping focuses on two dimensions: relevance and implementation of a set of 13 key elements of EbA. The method was tested on a sample of marine planners from ongoing MSP processes in northern European sea basins. The study shows that perceptual maps provide four main benefits: participatory, visualization capacity, qualitative and quantitative applicability, and easy to use. This tool has undoubtedly the potential to illustrate the state of integration of EbA in MSP and highlight the priority issues to develop in future plans, and consequently to provide keys to revise marine plans in a way that better takes into account EbA principles