Search results

The sea and the coasts are drivers of Europe's economy as many of the economic activities as well as large part of trade depend on the sea. At the European level there is strong political pressure to enhance the growth of maritime economy sectors. The European Union has developed the Integrated Maritime Policy to support the sustainable development of the seas and oceans. The aim is to reach a good environmental status of European seas by 2020. The value of this study is to provide fresh insight into the topic by examining the empirical relationship between the sustainable Blue Growth and Marine Spatial planning. The purpose is to make a relatively short introduction to questions like what is the potential of sustainable Blue Growth, how can maritime spatial planning (MSP) contribute to sustainable Blue Growth, and what are the cross-border elements of MSP. The experiences of previous MSP projects, EU policy reports and scientific articles with MSP in their focus are used as a source to answer these questions. So far there have been only recommendations towards sustainable Blue Growth, and each country remains responsible for designing and determining the format and content of maritime plans. MSP processes should be developed both at national and international levels. ; Renata Kozak

In all parts of the world the sea is a source of life, of energy, of food, of commerce, of fun. Its water, wind, and waves are all in demand – as a playground for pleasure-seekers and nature-lovers, as a highway for international commerce, as a home for unique communities of wildlife and people. All this is also true for the Bothnian Sea, a part of the northern European Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden. The Bothnian Sea is used by two neighbouring highly developed societies. There are many demands on its resources, and its open spaces are highly coveted areas for developments such as wind power farms. This relatively sparsely habitated corner of the world is also, at least at times, a place of wild seas and ancient heritage. Like planning on land, maritime spatial planning is a process that has to incorporate ideals of the public good and the various politically-anchored ways to define this, taking in to account private development interests as well as the physical realities of limited natural resources and fragile ecosystems. This book provides an introduction to the Bothnian Sea and the ideas around maritime spatial planning for its offshore areas. We have tried to present a balance between the perspectives of competing interests. As this has been a pilot initiative, we have not aimed to give you ready answers, but instead try to provoke further debate. The Bothnian Sea and its future are in your hands. The editor