Multi-level Governance in MSP (Maritime Spatial Planning) throughout the Baltic Sea Region

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The growth of the maritime economy throughout Europe results in increasing demands for maritime space coupled with the need to ensure a viable marine environment. This phenomenon has led to the integrated maritime policy (IMP) approach throughout Europe with Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) being by now the widely acknowledged tool for co-ordinating spatial use and balancing of interests in the sea. Within the Baltic Sea Region MSP is highly promoted by VASAB and HELCOM, which have created a joint working group and act as Horizontal Action Leaders for MSP within the EUSBSR. On national level, many BSR countries have passed the necessary legislation and are about to start MSP processes. In March 2013 these developments have received an extra push with the EU proposal for a directive to create a common framework for maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management. By its very nature MSP requires thorough consideration of the interests of the sectors concerned, which are - in turn - expressed at all governance levels reaching from individual up to international scale. Even more also maritime and terrestrial spatial planning should be tightly interlinked, consistent and mutually supportive. Planners need to consider the whole Baltic Sea ecosystem when planning transnational structures (i.e. nature protection areas, grid connections, shipping lanes). Little if no practical experience exists on how to satisfy all these requirements (i.e. land-sea integration, transnational consultation, ecosystem based approach, stakeholder participation) for a sustainable MSP. Therefore the bodies responsible for and/or actually drafting MSPs throughout the Baltic Sea Region have joined forces. Together they test and develop instruments/models on how such multi-level governance mechanisms can be realised in MSP within three pilot areas: a) Pomeranian Bight (SE, DE, PL, DK); b) Lithuanian Sea (LT, LV, SE, RU); c) Middle Bank (SE, PL). In addition the project engages national bodies, experts & researchers in a series of pan-Baltic dialogues on mariculture, nature protection, shipping & ports, underwater heritage and offshore energy as well as supporting functions like MSP data, ecosystem and climate change research. The ambition is to jointly explore what MSP means to these stakeholders and getting a better insight into their priorities, objectives, fears and hopes as well as the transnational nature of their topic. In subsequent cross-sectoral workshops synergies & conflicts will be identified and proposals developed for future MSPs and related governance processes. The ambition is to develop a pan-Baltic approach to topics whose spatial dimension transcends sectoral and administrative borders and to develop a concept for a MSP institutional framework and governance model which shall provide input to policy decisions to be taken at the VASAB ministerial conference to be held in summer 2014.

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