OCEaN: Messages on Marine Spatial Planning

The Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Working Group of the Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature (OCEaN) has finalised a document containing Messages on MSP which encompass five key principles that Member States should integrate into their respective national MSP plans.

OCEaN’s working group on Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) has finalised a document containing Messages on MSP which encompass five key principles that Member States should integrate into their respective national MSP plans. The five messages arose as a result of collaborative discussions and mutual agreement among the OCEaN Members.

They are formulated as follows:

1. MSPs should be planned holistically, at sea basin level and in collaboration across entire sea basins;
2. They should be based on the long-term and consider cumulative impacts at basin level;
3. MSPs must be based on best-practice methodology and apply the best available data, tools, knowledge and practices;
4. They should be developed based on consultation processes and fair stakeholder engagement;
5. Multiple use of marine areas should be considered as a tool to reconcile conflicting interest

The Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature (OCEaN) is a coalition of wind farm operators, transmission system operators, environmental and climate protection organisations that provides an open forum for discussion, where existing information and experiences are assessed and collated, needs for further research are identified and suggestions are made on how to improve planning offshore wind development for the European seas. RGI acts as the convener and moderator of the group as well as being a founding Member.

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