Transnational cooperation in maritime spatial planning in the North Sea

In the Norsaic project, national authorities and ministries, research institutions and maritime stakeholders work together to create a future-proof and innovative cooperative governance for ‘next-level’ transnational maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the North Sea.

The North Sea marine space is an intensively used area shared by many countries and stakeholders with different interests, while at the same time new uses and challenges are emerging. Meanwhile, the North Sea is also an important ecological system. Climate change, economic drivers, and local/regional impacts of activities require new and adapted MSP approaches, innovations, and an overall improved joint capacity developed cooperatively by decision makers, research institutions, and maritime stakeholders to improve collaboration at national as well as local/regional levels.

Together with eleven project partners from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, Norsaic will bring all these stakeholders together. Jointly, they will aim towards a vibrant, healthy and sustainable North Sea region in the face of climate change by focusing on adaptation strategies and visions for the future, building innovation capacity for governance and ultimately developing a common understanding of how to collaborate in MSP. Norsaic aims to take MSP to a new level by embracing transnational collaboration to manage sustainable change in the marine space. Norsaic’s approaches include a) adapting and further developing key MSP elements such as land-sea interaction, cumulative impacts, and multiple uses of marine space to develop future-proof MSP processes and plans in the North Sea region in response to climate change, b) developing and institutionalizing innovation capacity and tools for MSP, and finally c) developing shared capacity for sustainable governance in MSP at all levels.

Under the project leadership of the Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research at the University of Oldenburg, Norsaic will enhance overall collaboration in MSP through the joint development of MSP adaptations, strategies and action plans to be implemented by national and local/regional authorities and ministries in the North Sea region.

Author:

Malena Ripken

Publication date:
21.06.2023

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