Managing the Use of Ocean Space for Marine Renewable Energy: Marine Spatial Planning
Marine spatial planning (MSP) is an approach to managing marine activities with competing industries to balance environmental, social, and economic interests. All MSP processes try to reflect key principles that are science- or evidence-based, integrated, adaptive, strategic, and participatory. These principles can present challenges for implementation because in general each activity is managed individually, with limited consideration of other economic activities occurring in the same space or their potential effects on the receiving environment individually or cumulatively. Failure to take a more holistic approach to planning can result in conflicts between different marine users and potential effects on the marine environment.
This Short Science Summary was developed based on the OES-Environmental 2020 State of the Science Report: Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development Around the World, specifically Chapter 11: Marine Spatial Planning and Marine Renewable Energy.