Towards Sustainable Governance of Baltic Marine Space

BALTSPACE posits that achieving the ambitions of Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) depends on obtaining different forms of integration (e.g. across policies, sectors, stakeholder inputs, knowledge, ecological and (geo)political scales, scientific disciplines). While analysis is needed to identify enablers and constraints related to several MSP integration challenges, science-based approaches and tools prioritising and addressing how this could be achieved need further development.

Thus the overarching aim of the BaltSpace project was to provide science-based approaches and tools to clarify and to improve the capacity of MSP as a policy integrator and thereby enhance the capabilities of society to respond to current and future challenges of Baltic Sea governance.

Specifically BALTSPACE:

• Developed an analytical framework for analysing integration in BSR MSP and for diagnosing shortcoming and inefficiencies
• Identified concrete obstacles to improved effectiveness and efficiency based on detailed studies of strategically selected cases as well as continuous input from extended peer-review groups
• Developed and evaluated individual as well as combinations of policy approaches and tools targeting improved integration of MSP processes

Project partners

• Södertörn University (SE) – Lead Partner
• Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment (SE)
• Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience (DK)
• Maritime Institute in Gdansk (PL)
• Coastal Research and Planning Institute (LT)
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (DE)
• Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (DE)
• s. Pro – sustainable projects GmbH (DE)