The Governance of Multi-Use Platforms at Sea for Energy Production and Aquaculture: Challenges for Policy Makers in European Seas
Journal article, 2016

European seas are encountering an upsurge in competing marine activities and infrastructures. Traditional exploitation such as fisheries, tourism, transportation, and oil production are accompanied by new sustainable economic activities such as offshore windfarms, aquaculture, and tidal and wave energy. One proposed solution to overcome possible competing claims at sea lies in combining these economic activities as part of Multi-Use Platforms at Sea (MUPS). MUPS can be understood as areas at sea, designated for a combination of activities, either completely integrated in a platform or in shared marine space. MUPS can potentially benefit from each other in terms of infrastructure, maintenance, etc. Developing MUPS in the marine environment demands adequate governance. In this article, we investigate four European sites to find out how governance arrangements may facilitate or complicate MUPs. In particular, we apply a framework specifying policy, economic, social, technical, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) factors to explore governance arrangements in four case study sites in different sea basins around Europe ( the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea). The article concludes with policy recommendations on a governance regime for facilitating the development of MUPS in the future.

governance

aquaculture

fish

offshore

multi-use platforms

marine governance

energy production

PESTEL

Author

M. Stuiver

Wageningen University and Research

K. Soma

LEI Wageningen UR

P. Koundouri

London School of Economics and Political Science

International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy

Athens University of Economics and Business

S. van den Burg

LEI Wageningen UR

A. Gerritsen

Wageningen University and Research

T. Harkamp

Musholm A/S ReersøHavn

N. Dalsgaard

Musholm A/S ReersøHavn

F. Zagonari

University of Bologna

R. Guanche

University of Cantabria

J. J. Schouten

Deltares

S. Hommes

Deltares

A. Giannouli

International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy

Athens University of Economics and Business

T. Soderqvist

Enveco Environmental Economics Consultancy

Lars Rosen

Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Rita Coelho Steiger Garção

Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Jenny Norrman

Chalmers, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

C. Rockmann

Wageningen University and Research

M. de Bel

Deltares

B. Zanuttigh

University of Bologna

O. Petersen

DHI

F. Mohlenberg

DHI

Sustainability

20711050 (eISSN)

Vol. 8 4 333

Innovative Multi-purpose off-shore platforms: planning, Design and operation (MERMAID)

European Commission (EC) (EC/FP7/288710), 2012-01-01 -- 2015-12-31.

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Subject Categories

Environmental Management

Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified

DOI

10.3390/su8040333

More information

Latest update

5/26/2023