TY - RPRT
TI - Marine Renewables, Biodiversity and Fisheries
AU - Attrill, M
AU - Godley, B
AU - Thompson, R
AU - Truebano, M
AU - Bicknell, A
AU - Votier, S
AU - Inger, R
AU - Embling, C
AU - Witt, M
AU - Sheehan, E
AU - Ashley, M
AB - The scientific literature is awash with research that demonstrates that climate change willhave a very significant net negative effect on biodiversity. Biodiversity isn’t a luxury to be setaside when times are hard; biodiversity is integral to the ecosystem services that our naturalenvironment provides to humans and other species; services that are essential to humanwellbeing.It is necessary to rapidly and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in orderto prevent levels of climate change that would decimate biodiversity, and for marinebiodiversity also to prevent severe acidification of the oceans. This in turn will requirecountries to, inter alia, develop renewable energy to reduce the quantity of fossil fuel energyused. In the UK this will require the development of marine renewable energy.The quantity of marine renewable energy needed in the future in the UK is debated but allmain political parties, as well as the Committee on Climate Change, believe it must be asignificant part of the energy mix. Friends of the Earth suggests that 5-10,000 offshore windturbines may be necessary, alongside hundreds of kilometres of wave power and thousandsof tidal stream turbines. Others, such as National Grid or Atkins, suggest less marinerenewable energy than this is necessary, either by recommending large-scale nuclear powerdeployment and/or by advocating energy pathways with much greater greenhouse gasemissions. But all agree marine renewable energy is necessary.Within this context Friends of the Earth and the Plymouth University Marine Institute – whoare leading researchers in marine renewable energy – agreed that it would be beneficial toinform debates on the issue of marine renewable energy deployment with evidence andexpert opinion with regards impacts on biodiversity and fisheries. This publication is theresult. It is the work of expert academics at Plymouth University and elsewhere who, in thefinest tradition of research, maintained their academic independence throughout.We hope that you find this research of interest and use.
DA - 2013/06//
PY - 2013
SP - 32
PB - Plymouth University
LA - English
KW - Marine Energy
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Birds
KW - Fish
KW - Marine Mammals
KW - Human Dimensions
KW - Fisheries
ER -