During October and November of 2024, MSPglobal 2.0 facilitated four online dialogues around the topic of offshore wind energy and its engagement and sustainable integration into Marine Spatial Planning (MSP). There were 25 participants, with a background in MSP and/or coming directly from the offshore wind energy (OWE) sector, who engaged in the discussions with the ultimate goal of co-developing good practices.
Today, governments are increasingly incorporating the rapidly growing OWE sector into their climate strategies, which in return adds pressure on MSP processes and the marine space. For this, UNESCO-IOCand the UN Global Compact aim to co-develop good practices on (a) integrating the offshore wind energy sector into MSP initiatives, (b) managing potential conflicts between OWE and other sectors and (c) minimizing impacts on the coastal/marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
There will be two publications: Volume 1 will give a sector overview, while Volume 2 will suggest good practices. These publications are currently being developed based on inputs from experts from across the globe after having led several collaborative online sessions.
Understanding needs and challenges for the sustainable integration of OWE into MSP processes
The first online dialogue took place on 29th October 2024, kickstarting a vivid exchange among MSP experts. The MSPglobal team had previously mapped a broad range of MSP experts, including those involved in Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments.
The workshop started with agreeing on the rough outline of the two publications, and continued with a discussion guided by several questions such as: What would you like to know about the OWE sector in order to have a better MSP? What have been your challenges when engaging with the OWE sector?
Furthermore, the participants also focused on social and environmental concerns, conflicts, and the synergies between the OWE sector and other marine uses. As a result, several good practices for the integration of OWE into MSP processes were identified, as well as preliminary recommendations that can be of use to the OWE and MSP experts.
The sector’s needs towards integrating OWE into MSP processes
The second online dialogue was structured similarly to the first but it was tailored to experts from the OWE sector. The session aimed at getting an understanding from their perspective, meaning their challenges and expectations from MSP practitioners in order to better manage their sector. For this, the dialogue focused on similar discussion pillars. As a result, a complementary list of recommendations was formulated and an additional online dialogue was scheduled to speak with more industry experts.
Integrating OWE in MSP: A collaborative workshop for sustainable solutions
Once the perspectives of experts from MSP and OWE sectors had been collected, it was time for a joint session with both groups to exchange and synthesise the main results. The first part of the workshop consisted of keynote presentations to provide input from both perspectives. Emilio Faraggiana, Project Engineer at Baywa R.E., made the start by introducing the OWE sector in Italy. His presentation was followed by an integrated approach example from the United Kingdom by Dickon Howell, Director and founder of Howell Marine Consulting and visiting Professor of Practice at Newcastle University.
Next, Pernille Skyt, expert advisor to the World Bank Group’s Offshore Wind, gave an overview of the relevant aspects of biodiversity conservation in the context of offshore wind. Similarly, Andrea Zanella, WWF Fisheries and Maritime Spatial Planning Expert, shared guidelines for offshore wind development and the protection of the marine environment. Lastly, the environmental scientist Sâmila Lima from the Federal University of Ceará gave a presentation on social mapping relevant to offshore wind development from the perspective of Brazilian fishers.
These inputs served to park the discussion during the second part of the workshop which aimed at summarizing all challenges and expectations shared in previous dialogues. The goal was to offer a space for mutual exchange of expertise among OWE experts and MSP practitioners. The discussion was guided by the six MSP phases and ideas were captured in a digital whiteboard.
All in all, these online dialogues not only resulted in valuable inputs but hopefully also in the establishment of long-lasting relationships between MSP practitioners and OWE experts. Let us bridge the gaps by exchanging knowledge and expertise to sustainably integrate OWE into MSP processes in the future.
CONTACT:
MSPglobal.comm@unesco.org