The future of marine spatial planning

Abstract

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book provides how effective marine spatial planning can minimise the negative impacts of offshore-energy developments and realise new opportunities for multi-sector benefits. It highlights some of many challenges that remain for marine spatial planning, and suggests how increased collaboration, more meaningful participation, and more aligned governance structures combined with transparent planning tools can contribute to future successes. The book provides an in-depth assessment of the stakeholder-engagement process and describes that effective participation is essential to successful planning outcomes and that participation needs to each stakeholder to be effective. It examines how the process of stakeholder engagement can be a form of data generation and validation that can work in conjunction with ecosystem service trade-off analysis. The book discusses the marine spatial planning invoking a complex array of disciplines that must be harmonised-from the scientific, socio-economic, legal, political, to the psychological.