Marseille’s recent MSP Week set the stage for MSP4BIO’s third Think Tank event, gathering around 30 dedicated participants, including MSP authorities, researchers, and key project partners.
This event provided a collaborative platform for those passionate about advancing Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) with a focus on biodiversity integration. Here’s a closer look at the insightful sessions and discussions that took place:
💡 Opening Insights: Setting the Tone for MSP and Biodiversity
The event began with a comprehensive overview of the MSP4BIO Think Tank’s objectives and ongoing process. This introduction laid the groundwork for an engaging session where participants aligned on the importance of biodiversity in MSP frameworks.
Our shared aim? To build MSP solutions that integrate biodiversity protection seamlessly, ensuring that marine planning efforts contribute positively to ecosystem resilience.
🔍 Breakout Session 1: Policy Solutions and Biodiversity Integration
The first breakout session invited participants to share feedback and best practices, particularly focusing on policy solutions that can support biodiversity within MSP frameworks. One key challenge discussed was the need for MSP to align more closely with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), which sets out the goal of achieving Good Environmental Status (GES) in European waters. Despite the MSP Directive’s generic thresholds, participants identified opportunities for MSP to play a critical role in achieving GES, thus bolstering biodiversity outcomes.
📑 Breakout Session 2: Contributions to EU Policies and Future Opportunities
In the second breakout session, participants delved into the contributions of several ongoing projects to EU policies. By examining existing gaps, they outlined avenues for new projects to build on these foundations, encouraging innovation and collaboration across sectors. This discussion highlighted the critical role of EU policy alignment in furthering sustainability objectives and fostering cross-border synergies for a healthier marine environment.
Kemal’s Great Poem on MSP
In celebration of the creative spirit that drives our work, we invite you to enjoy “Kemal’s great poem on Marine Spatial Planning”. The poem captures the essence of MSP, weaving together themes of marine conservation, resilience, and the shared human responsibility to protect our oceans.
You can watch the poem recitation here.
Moving Forward with MSP and Biodiversity
We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed their time, expertise, and perspectives at this important event. As we move forward, MSP4BIO remains committed to prioritizing biodiversity in MSP, driving solutions that reflect our shared vision for sustainable, ecologically balanced seas.
