In a nutshell, the OceanPlan project is a 3-year research project that investigates how marine spatial planning (MSP) can both be affected by, and adapt to global climate change. The project is funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and led by an international team of scientists with expertise on both climate change and MSP.
MSP is being developed and implemented worldwide as a way to foster sustainability in ocean management and use. It deals with the spatial and temporal distribution of human uses in marine areas, striving to minimize conflicts and foster compatibilities among such uses, as well as between uses and the environment. On top of the many challenges MSP already faces (political, socioeconomic, environmental), in the near-future it will need to deal with a changing climate. Properly incorporating climate change into the MSP framework will allow for better preparedness, improved response capacity and, ultimately, a reduced vulnerability of marine socio-ecological systems.
MSP is being developed and implemented worldwide as a way to foster sustainability in ocean management and use. It deals with the spatial and temporal distribution of human uses in marine areas, striving to minimize conflicts and foster compatibilities among such uses, as well as between uses and the environment. On top of the many challenges MSP already faces (political, socioeconomic, environmental), in the near-future it will need to deal with a changing climate. Properly incorporating climate change into the MSP framework will allow for better preparedness, improved response capacity and, ultimately, a reduced vulnerability of marine socio-ecological systems.
OceanPlan will address this important scientific and societal topic through six main work packages (WPs):
WP1. Conceptual model on MSP vulnerability to climate change;
WP2. Vulnerability assessment at selected case studies;
WP3. Operational approaches to adapt to a changing ocean;
WP4. Integration of climate change dimension in MSP initiatives and policies;
WP5. Guidelines for MSP under a changing climate;
WP6. Dissemination and communication actions.
WP1. Conceptual model on MSP vulnerability to climate change;
WP2. Vulnerability assessment at selected case studies;
WP3. Operational approaches to adapt to a changing ocean;
WP4. Integration of climate change dimension in MSP initiatives and policies;
WP5. Guidelines for MSP under a changing climate;
WP6. Dissemination and communication actions.
The project counts with the support of several institutions in the field of marine sciences. OCEANPLAN started in the beginning of October 2018 and will run until September 2021.
