Water
Maritime spatial planning (MSP) has been developing for years on the basis of international commitments, national legislations, and professional practices. Projects under European Territorial Cooperation have also made an important contribution to its development. They were designed to support EU countries in the implementation of MSP. The projects implemented in Slovenia always covered the entire national sea and coastal zone. In accordance with the MSP Directive, the countries of Northern Adriatic are currently preparing the first generation of maritime spatial plans, largely based on the experience and results gained from these projects. This article presents the results of research aimed at assessing the contribution of the projects to the preparation of the first plan in Slovenia. Using a descriptive research method, a detailed analysis of the results of seven projects was conducted and compared with the content of the draft plan. A comparison was made and the proportion of the results implementation in the draft plan was determined for the following structural elements: development baselines, objectives and guidelines; expert bases; stakeholders and public participation; sectoral interests; administrative competences; international dimension; and databases and analytical tools. A high degree of coherence was found, showing the obvious contribution of the projects at the methodological and structural levels.
Questions this practice may help answer:
- What are the key elements for the development of the maritime spatial planning process?
- What is the role of international projects in the development of MSP?
- How did the projects developed in the Adriatic Sea support the MSP process in Slovenia?
Implementation Context:
With the adoption of the MSP Directive (Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning), each Member States is obliged to draft marine spatial plans for their waters. As a result, several cooperation projects were launched to help Member States with this task.
Aspects / Objectives:
The aim of this study is to analyse a range of projects developed in Slovenia and neighbouring countries to highlight their contribution to the establishment of maritime spatial plans in Slovenia.
Method:
This study was carried out in 4 phases:
- the collection of data and materials regarding maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal zone management.
- the selection of projects and key structural elements of the plan.
- the implementation of a comparative and descriptive research method to provide consistent analysis of the draft plans.
- conclusion and synthesis.
Main Outputs / Results:
The study highlights key projects for the development of the first maritime spatial plan in Slovenia and provides insights on the results of the projects that benefit MSP. This research also provides information that can assist decision-makers in the further development and content of support projects.
Transferability:
This study can be transferred to any other country where projects were developed in order to sustain the MSP process in one or several countries.
Responsible Entity:
Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana
Costs / Funding Source:
This research was partly funded by Slovenian Research Agency, by the Research Program “Geoinformation infrastructure and sustainable spatial development of Slovenia”.
Contact person:
Gregor Cok: gregor.cok
fgg.uni-lj.si (gregor[dot]cok[at]fgg[dot]uni-lj[dot]si)