Ecological solidarity and Marine spatial planning: a creative link to make?

Abstract

Marine environments are subject to growing pressures such as traffic, increasing demand changing land-use of coastal areas, seabed exploitation, dredging or mining, fishing, tourism, and development of renewable energies, etc. Marine spatial planning (MSP) is now considered as a way to sustainably manage human activities at sea by conciliating human uses and nature conservation. MSP was developed in the 2000s under the influence of scientists, especially that of Ehler and Douvere - defining it as “a practical way to create and establish a more rational use of marine space and the interactions among its uses to balance demands for development with the need to protect the environment, and to deliver social and economic outcomes in an open and planned way” (Ehler & Douvere, 2009). European law (Directive 2014/89/EU of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning) gives a binding legal definition. Various approaches of MSP cover the span from mapping to strategy making. Depending on how MSP is designed, it could represent a sound opportunity for developing and emerging countries to fully benefit from their marine resources; alternatively, it could turn out to be a tool reinforcing ocean grabbing by foreign interests. The importance attached to the underlying objective of nature conservation could also vary depending on the building of this political process. Ecological solidarity has been mainly studied in terrestrial fields. Addressing ecological solidarity in marine environments implies a differentiated analysis as, for example, traditional legal concepts (i.e. individual property) are no longer relevant. Role of solidarity in maritime sector could be linked with the complexity of ecological solidarity. Contrary to terrestrial legal solidarity, directly ensued from formal texts and thus not presumable, maritime solidarity is presumed and based on a broader and more compassing common ground: that of ocean hazards. This conception of maritime solidarity permeates henceforth in diverse regulations to answer ecological, economic and human issues. This communication will illustrate how ecological solidarity can offer an interesting viewpoint to re-think MSP in order to increase both common uses of marine spaces and planetary wellbeing.