Tools for developing renewable energy solutions balancing targets for protection, restoration and livelihoods
In order to mitigate climate change and support biodiversity, it is crucial to develop renewable energy solutions that balance targets for protection, restoration and livelihoods.
Offshore wind farms could contribute to biodiversity and livelihoods by incorporating nature-inclusive designs and multi-use applications. The MSP4MORE project is exploring ways to optimise the design and location of offshore wind farms (OWFs) and resolve trade-offs between policy goals in the Baltic, North, Mediterranean and Barents Seas.
The project aims to enable the sustainable coexistence of various marine activities by identifying and addressing trade-offs and enhancing synergies. In collaboration with stakeholders from government, industry, academia and civil society, the project will develop tools and approaches to optimise planning solutions. MSP4MORE will synthesise these findings to create best practices and practical decision support for local, national and regional MSP challenges related to OWF expansion. The project emphasises strategies for minimising negative impacts and enhancing positive outcomes, guided by the principle of 'mitigating the bad, promoting the good'.
These outcomes will improve the efficiency with which Maritime Spatial Planning reaches renewable energy targets. This will support EU policies on nature conservation and restoration, aligning with the EU Biodiversity Strategy, the Habitats and Birds Directives, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Nature Restoration Law, as well as the goals of the EU Blue Growth Strategy.