Demonstration Projects

Demonstration projects

DP07

Maritime spatial planning and thematic planning of coastal public infrastructure

Maritime spatial planning and thematic planning of coastal public infrastructure
Maritime spatial planning and thematic planning of coastal public infrastructure
Main objective

Updating the Maritime Spatial Plan (MSP) and Coastal Plan of Latvia to support maintenance of resilient marine and coastal ecosystems, sustainable and effective use of marine space and coastal tourism development.

Expected outcome

The uptake of the latest knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the interim assessment and update of the MSP and Coastal Plan, including the identification of suitable sites for new marine uses such as offshore aquaculture and wind farms, and the assessment of the suitability and potential of coastal areas for sustainable tourism development.

The Maritime Spatial Plan of Latvia 2030 (MSP of Latvia), adopted in 2019, is a national-level long-term spatial development planning document that defines the use of the sea, and aims to balance the interests of the environment, society and economy and promote sustainable marine space development. The Long-Term Thematic Plan for the Development of Coastal Public Infrastructure (Coastal Plan), adopted by the Government in 2016, aims to develop a joint network of public infrastructure in the coastal (terrestrial) areas of the Baltic Sea, which helps to balance nature conservation and economic interests, facilitating the development of joint tourism products, as well as strives to achieve good governance of coastal areas. Both planning documents – the MSP of Latvia and the Coastal Plan are at the stage of the interim evaluation of the policy implementation. Based on the evaluation results, proposals for updating the MSP will be prepared by 2029, and options for integration of the Coastal plan will be analysed. DP07 will ensure that the latest knowledge on marine and coastal ecosystems, service supply, and coastal landscape qualities are incorporated in the evaluation and updating process of the plans as well as support active stakeholder engagement. The main stakeholders involved in the DP07 are National Competent authorities, local and regional authorities, representatives of the sea use sector, tourism and other economic actors from the coastal areas (e.g., ports), researchers, and NGOs, representing all levels of decision-making, from the national to the private sector, as well as direct users of ecosystem services.

Scientific Partner: Partner Cover
Policy Partner: Partner Cover