Already for the 4th time the Baltic MSP Forum is organised to bring together maritime spatial planning (MSP) community from the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) and beyond to discuss, share, learn and develop new ideas to enhance MSP in the region.
‘Delivering MSP – Interactions and Capacities Across All Levels’ is the slogan of the 4th Baltic MSP Forum. It comes with a message that in year 2021, when all countries in the BSR are on track with maritime spatial plans and are stepping into plan implementation phase, consequent question arises – what’s next?
AGENDA AT A GLANCE
The agenda of the Forum is built to cover MSP aspects from different levels of governance. It will start with the policy debate on how MSP can address many ambitions and challenges. The speakers will represent policy level by European Commission, industry developments by WindEurope association as well as research and climate change aspects by Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde.
Panel discussion on 1 June 2021 will spotlight the changes that have emerged in the regional frameworks lately and what it means for the upcoming decade. What are the novelties for MSP in the actions of the EUSBSR new Action Plan, Baltic Sea Action Plan, Regional MSP Roadmap and IOC-UNESCO MSPglobal initiative?
Workshop sessions will highlight the activities, progress and results of Capacity4MSP and Land-Sea-Act projects. In total 9 workshops in 3 parallel sessions will discuss stakeholder involvement in MSP, blue economy aspects in planning, marine cultural heritage, good environmental status of the Baltic Sea, multi-use, land-sea interactions, multi-level governance, data-driven decision making, and climate change.
On 2 June plenaries will focus on how MSP can address all levels – what does it mean in practise? A keynote speaker will dwell on the shortcomings and benefits of working with and across different levels in the MSP process. It will be followed by panel discussion on challenges in the implementation of MSP across all levels. The speakers will present national, regional and local level authorities from Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Poland.
As Forum will be held in digital platform it will allow all participants to communicate among each other freely. MSP pitch session, networking and digital exhibition will provide even more information on MSP processes, plans, even new ideas and initiatives.
Explore full agenda HERE.
MEET THE MODERATOR
Main moderator for the whole Forum, supported by the EU MSP Assistance Mechanism, respectively conversant and experienced to unite all topics and participants is Rhona Fairgrieve (Principal Marine Environmental Consultant, Water Management Consultancy/Infrastructure in Atkins, member of the SNC-Lavalin Group). Rhona Fairgrieve is known from her involvement in integrated coastal management and MSP, across the European Union but particularly in the Northern Sea basin, and among other professional experiences was secondment as a National Expert to the European Commission (DG ENV) to assist with the negotiation of the EU MSP Directive (2013-2014) and the first year of its implementation (2014-2015).
REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Registration for the 4th Baltic MSP Forum is open HERE. After the registration participants will receive an access to the event’s online platform where all livestreams and networking will take place on 1-2 June. Participants are welcome to join the digital expo to present their work and network with participants during the Forum.
ABOUT PROJECTS AND ORGANISERS
Capacity4MSP project platform is the EUSBRS flagship of the Policy Area Spatial Planning with the aim to strengthen the capacity of maritime spatial planning (MSP) practitioners, policy- and decision-makers and stakeholders. Land-Sea-Act is relevant project for the implementation of PA Spatial Planning as it explores governance practices in coastal areas to balance local communities’ interests with large scale development in MSP to foster Blue Growth.
More information about the 4th Baltic MSP Forum – www.balticmspforum.eu
The 4th Baltic MSP Forum is jointly organised by the VASAB Secretariat and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia as the lead partners of Capacity4MSP and Land-Sea-Act projects. VASAB coordinates also EUSBSR Policy Area 'Spatial Planning'.
