Author:
Kemal Pınarbaşı, HELCOM – Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission
Below scenario envisions a future where biodiversity is fully integrated into maritime spatial planning (MSP) across the EU, guided by the innovative policy coherence work of the MSP4BIO project. Through a series of workshops, interviews with both marine conservation and MSP authorities, and extensive stakeholder engagement, the MSP4BIO project identified key barriers that hinder biodiversity mainstreaming. These challenges, ranging from weak policy integration to lack of coordination, were systematically addressed through a set of strategically developed solutions. The project worked to assess the feasibility, required effort, and potential impact of each solution, ensuring they could be realistically implemented to achieve meaningful integration of biodiversity conservation and spatial planning. The result is a clear, strategic path forward—one that demonstrates how aligning MSP with the EU Biodiversity Strategy can create a future where environmental protection and sustainable economic development coexist harmoniously.
2030 Vision: Maritime Spatial Planning to Lead the Global Fight for Biodiversity
In the year 2030, the European Union’s coastal nations have become global leaders in marine biodiversity conservation, thanks to their successful integration of biodiversity objectives into maritime spatial planning. This transformation was driven by a series of coordinated actions that overcame long-standing policy barriers and aligned MSP with the EU Biodiversity Strategy.
The journey began with the realization that fragmented governance and competing economic interests were undermining biodiversity goals. EU countries saw that the dispersion of competences between federal and regional levels, combined with weak enforcement and a lack of coordination, was making it difficult to protect marine environments effectively.
To address these challenges, a dedicated coordination framework was established. National and regional administrations began to meet regularly to discuss biodiversity issues, fostering unprecedented cooperation. These meetings were backed by comprehensive guidelines and enforcement mechanisms, including new training programs for MSP authorities, MPA managers, and public administration. For the first time, MSP gained the mandate for legally binding spatial measures aimed at achieving biodiversity conservation goals, ensuring that economic interests no longer overpowered environmental priorities.
One of the most transformative changes came with the revision of existing MPA objectives. These areas, once defined by vague and broad goals, were now governed by specific, measurable targets, tailored to each area’s unique ecological needs. MSP authorities were involved in the designation and management processes, ensuring that marine planning and protection efforts were seamlessly integrated. Decision support tools, bolstered by significant investments in data collection and monitoring technologies, became widely accessible, enabling policymakers to make informed decisions about human activities affecting the marine environment.
At the EU level, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was closely integrated with MSP frameworks, aligning fishing activities with biodiversity targets. This led to a more sustainable use of marine resources, with fishing zones and conservation areas harmoniously coexisting. The allocation of maritime-related tax revenue directly funded national biodiversity protection projects, ensuring that adequate resources were available to achieve conservation goals.
Public participation was strengthened through continuous input channels, where stakeholders, including research institutions and local communities, regularly contributed to policymaking. Their voices were no longer overlooked but had become crucial in shaping marine policies. Coordination between ministries improved, and biodiversity was finally seen as an equally important priority alongside economic goals within MSP. This shift was enshrined in new legislation that mandated equal consideration of biodiversity and economic interests in marine planning decisions.
As a result, biodiversity-rich MPAs flourished, supporting not only marine life but also sustainable tourism and fishing industries. Economic development continued, but it was now balanced with the imperative to protect the EU’s marine ecosystems for future generations.
In this new era of MSP, the EU had proven that mainstreaming biodiversity was not just an idealistic vision but a practical, achievable reality. By embracing innovative policy solutions and fostering collaboration across jurisdictions and sectors, Europe’s coastal nations were not only safeguarding their marine environments but also ensuring that they continued to thrive both ecologically and economically.
