Download North Sea Sustainable Development Framework

North Sea Sustainable
Development Framework
A practical tool for innovation and development for a resilient,
stable and sustainable North Sea economy that operates within
safe environmental limits and delivers social value.
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The North Sea is one of the most heavily exploited
maritime regions in the world. The combined impacts
of the range of human activities there are damaging
the North Sea ecosystem to unsustainable levels – and
use of it is increasing. If we are to continue to benefit
from this valuable ecosystem, we need to develop a
sustainable North Sea economy that operates within
safe environmental limits while enriching peoples’ lives.
The North Sea
The North Sea is a coastal sea bordered by England, Scotland, Norway,
Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. In the southwest,
beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel
which connects to the Atlantic Ocean. Rich in nutrients, it is also very
productive. For centuries, the sea has provided its neighbouring peoples with
food, energy, a transport system and more, as well as ensuring a stable and
comfortable climate.
Its coastline is one of the most densely populated in the world, and is home
to some of the world’s largest cities1. The North Sea has some of the busiest
shipping lanes in the world2, and two of the world’s largest ports are situated on
its coast. Economic uses of the North Sea include shipping, utility lines, fishing,
minerals extraction, oil and gas extraction, offshore wind farms, and tourism.
The cumulative impacts of human activities, and particularly of the industries
operating there, are taking a heavy toll on the North Sea environment.
Overfishing, damaging industry practices, noise, pollution and litter, for
example, and the increasing effects of climate change are disrupting and
degrading marine ecosystems, some to the point from which they may not
recover3. The large and growing intensity of activities in a limited marine space
is an increasing problem environmentally, socially and economically.
To continue to reap the riches of the North Sea, we need to be better
stewards of it. There is an urgent need for industries, governments,
communities and others to work together to preserve this increasingly fragile
ecosystem; to innovate and develop ways of using the North Sea that can
meet the needs of both present and future generations.
www.forumforthefuture.org
About the framework
To create successful businesses and societies in the long term, we need to think
sustainably. The North Sea Sustainable Development Framework has been developed
specifically to help organisations operating in the North Sea region to do that. A practical
tool that identifies the boundaries and conditions for a sustainable North Sea, it’s
designed to help you identify the big issues, risks and opportunities; to develop and test
your strategy, inform decisions, and drive new innovation.
This framework, specific to the North Sea region, is based on the Sustainable Economy
Framework – also called Horizons – which was developed by Forum for the Future,
Innovate UK and Aviva Investors. It defines what we mean by a sustainable economy –
one that operates within safe environmental limits and delivers social value.
The North Sea Sustainable Economy Framework identifies the environmental boundaries
that keep the sea and surrounding environment in good health, the social and political
foundations that enable societies to flourish in the region, and the essential needs for
us human beings to survive and thrive. Each of these is broken down into a number of
topics. Together, they can help you work towards delivering a sustainable future, in and
around the North Sea.
Forum for the Future, May 2015
Forum for the Future
Forum for the Future is an independent non-profit that works globally with business,
government and other organisations to solve complex sustainability challenges. We aim
to transform the critical systems that we all depend on, such as food and energy, to
make them fit for the challenges of the 21st century. We have over 19 years’ experience
inspiring new thinking, building creative partnerships and developing practical innovations
to change our world. We share what we learn from our work so that others can become
more sustainable.
System innovation is at the heart of our strategy. One of our key approaches is creating
innovation coalitions, bringing together groups to solve bigger sustainability challenges
- including those that work across whole value chains. Another of our approaches is
helping pioneering businesses go further, faster.
Discover our stories and what we’ve learned about building a sustainable world at www.
forumforthefuture.org, and find us on Facebook and Twitter.
End notes
European Commission, (2014) “European Atlas of the Sea: North Sea Facts”, [Online],
Available: http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/atlas/seabasins/northsea/long/index_en.htm
1
OSPAR Commission, (2010) “Quality Status Report, Region II: The Greater North Sea”,
[Online], Available: http://qsr2010.ospar.org/en/ch12_02.html
2
European Union Committee, (2015) “The North Sea Under Pressure”, Chapter 2,
[Online], Available: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldselect/
ldeucom/137/13705.htm
3
www.forumforthefuture.org
How to use this framework
The North Sea Sustainable Development Framework is a tool to help you understand the
big issues and trends coming your way, and stimulate thinking and discussion about how
you should respond to them. You can use it independently, or with a group. Below are
some suggestions for using it, which can be adapted to suit your individual circumstances.
1. Consider your objectives: what do you want to accomplish by using the framework?
Keep it focused.
2. Involve the right people: include those who bring different perspectives and experience
to encourage new ideas and cross-fertilisation.
3. Explore and discuss: think / talk about the topics that are most critical and/or you
haven’t thought about much. Remember that topics that don’t seem connected at first
glance may provoke new insights and ideas.
You can use the following questions to help drive your discussion:
•
What are the challenges and opportunities this topic presents to your organisation?
Think about the life cycle of your products/services. What and where are the impacts?
•
Translate each statement for your sector e.g. ‘everyone has reliable energy sources’.
•
What are the potential risks e.g. to your supply chain or customer base?
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What opportunities may it open up?
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How are these driving changes to your market?
•
How are you uniquely placed to contribute something to this?
•
What are the commercial opportunities arising from this?
•
What can you do? Write a one-sentence summary.
•
Review all the summaries. What’s your overall contribution to a sustainable North
Sea economy and region?
•
How can you achieve this?
4. Prioritise areas and actions to take forward. Individual risks and opportunities can be
presented in a matrix to aid prioritisation. Example axes could be ‘level of commercial
opportunity’ and ‘risk’.
5. Take action: the framework does not tell you how to achieve your goals, but logical
next steps might include: map out your role in taking opportunities identified forward,
develop an action plan and integrate thinking into your normal business planning or
innovation process.
Let us know what you think. How have you used the framework? What did you
experience? How could they be improved? Get in touch to share your views, or if you
need help facilitating a workshop.
Contact: Charlene Collison at Forum for the Future on [email protected]
www.forumforthefuture.org
Climate change
The average global temperature must not rise more
than 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
Environmental Boundaries
Climate change
What is climate change?
Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are being produced by human
activity faster than natural processes can remove them, and are accumulating in the
atmosphere. As a result Earth’s average temperature is rising which leads to a number of
effects including changes in weather patterns, more extreme conditions and a rise in sea levels.
Why is this critical?
The temperature of the seawater across the North Sea is rising, increasing between
0.023°C/year (in the northern North Sea) and 0.053°C/year (in the central and southern
North Sea).1 It is currently the second fastest warming large marine ecosystem in the
world2, with major implications for its ecosystems, biodiversity and food webs.
As the water warms, species are migrating, altering the ecosystem distribution. Research
has indicated that nearly two-thirds of species have shifted in mean latitude or depth
over the last 25 years,3 with new species continuing to enter the waters of the North Sea.
Plankton, a foundation of the North Sea food web, is particularly sensitive to changes
in climate, and changes in their seasonal cycles will have implications across many
other species.4 There have also been suggestions that rising temperatures have led to a
decrease in size of some species, and could result in significant changes to productivity,
with implications for fisheries.5
The North sea is expected to see more frequent extreme weather events and a continued
rise in sea levels, with significant impacts for both coastal communities and businesses
operating in the North Sea region.6,7 In one scenario that leads to a rise of 3.5ºC in
2085, it was projected that sea levels at the Dutch North Sea coast could have risen by
between 45cm and 80cm.8
As a large body of water, the North Sea plays an important role as a carbon sink.
Currently world’s oceans absorb more than 26% of the carbon dioxide emitted into the
atmosphere from human activities, resulting in increased ocean acidity.
Implications:
• must demonstrate an understanding of – and develop strategies to address – the full
range of risks and opportunities posed by climate change;
• must reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with global reduction of [6-9%] year on year;
• should ensure that products and services are best-in-class, and fit-for-purpose, in a
carbon constrained world;
• should play a role in adapting natural and human systems to the inevitable impacts of
climate change;
• should be a vocal and effective advocate for the broad societal action on climate change.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Coastal Land Use
Coastal land must be used in a way that meets both
human and broader ecosystem needs.
Environmental Boundaries
Coastal Land Use
What is coastal land use?
The coastline of the North Sea provides a habitat for an array of plants and
animals, is home to many communities and used by industries that include
tourism, industry, fishing, trade and transport. The coastal watershed extends
well inland, at the beginning headwaters of the streams and rivers that
ultimately drain down to the coastal areas.
Why is this critical?
The North Sea has one of the most densely populated coastlines in the world
and is home to significant levels of commerce,9 which leads to competing
pressures for coastal land from resident communities, species habitat and
industry such as shipping, fisheries and tourism.
The availability, condition, spatial distribution and intensity of coastal land
use is critically important for the production of food, regulation of freshwater
flows, flood defence, maintaining biodiversity, important habitats and other
ecosystems services.
Impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and increasing extreme
weather events, have led to a greater need for coastal protection measures
as coastal erosion impacts on land availability.10 Soft-engineering coastal
structures, such as dunes and salt marshes, are increasingly being employed
to act as natural buffers against rising tides. They absorb and dissipate
the force of the sea and reduce the risk to people and development. Their
economic value for flood and coastal defence alone is huge.11
The presence of large scale industry and development of coastal land can
lead to pollution of surrounding marine ecosystems, contribute to biodiversity
loss through habitat destruction and disrupt availability of resources.12
Implications:
• must avoid excessive use of coastal land and not further deteriorate coastal
land condition;
• must not hinder the functioning of the ecosystem services that coastal land
provides;
• should restore land to former or improved condition after it has been
damaged or altered.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Seabed integrity
The seabed of the North Sea must be used in a way that
meets both human and broader ecosystem needs.
Environmental Boundaries
Seabed integrity
What is seabed integrity?
The seabed, or sea floor, is the surface at the bottom of the ocean. In the
North Sea it is mostly made up of sediment of varying sizes.13 Integrity
describes the extent, unity and functioning of the seabed ecosystems.
Why is this critical?
The biodiversity of the North Sea seabed is comparable to tropical forests and
temperate pastures in terms of productivity and building resilience in the marine
system. A single square metre of sea floor may contain over 6000 organisms
from over 300 species.14 It provides essential ecosystem services, including
recycling biological material to release nutrients, trap contaminants and carbon.15
Human activity has impacted on the seabed for centuries, including fishing,
aggregate extraction, oil pipelines and dredging. Bottom trawling fishing,
towing a net along the sea floor, can reduce the biomass present on the
seabed by over half, disrupting food webs and habitats. In some areas it can
take up to 15 years for the seabed to recover from the effects.16
There is increasing demand from surrounding countries for sand and gravel
extracted from the North Sea for both coastal defences and infrastructure
projects. Altering the shape and nature of the seabed could affect the
coastline and associated erosion. Some recent evidence from the United
Kingdom part of the North Sea suggests that recovery periods can be
prolonged i.e. more than 7 years, especially where sites have been dredged
repeatedly at high intensities.17
Implications:
• must minimise the impact of activities on the seabed;
• must allow for recovery where damage has occurred;
• should take measures to protect North Sea seabed ecosystems where possible.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Eutrophication
Control the amount of excess nutrient, particularly
nitrogen and phosphorus that enter the North Sea.
Environmental Boundaries
Eutrophication
What is eutrophication?
Eutrophication is caused by excess nutrients, particularly nitrogen and
phosphorus, in water bodies, which can lead to accelerated growth of algae.
Why is this critical?
Accelerated algae growth on the water surface from eutrophication can deprive
other marine plants of sunlight, causing them to die. This can ultimately result
in anoxic – oxygen-depleted – conditions and ecosystem disruption when
dead organic material sinks to the seabed and is degraded by bacteria. The
resulting changes in structure and functioning of marine ecosystems can lead to
problems for the fishing, mariculture and tourism industries.
Most of the sources of nutrients that enter the North Sea are linked to human
activity and mainly affect the coastal areas.18 Nitrogen mainly originates from
the leaching of agricultural soils and urban wastewater: intensive farming
covers up to 70% of the land that drains into the North Sea.19 Phosphorus is
mainly linked to urban wastewater and soil erosion.20
Historically, severe eutrophication effects have occurred in various coastal
areas of the North Sea, such as a die-off of mussels in Dutch estuaries, fish
and invertebrate kills in fjords and toxic hydrogen sulphide release from rotting
algae in the UK.21 Nutrient run off levels have decreased significantly in the
past decades,22 but more can still be done.
Implications:
• must not lead to nitrogen or phosphorus pollution;
• must use nitrogen and phosphorus more efficiently, especially in agriculture;
• should recycle nitrogen and phosphorus from waste water systems.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Ocean acidification
The concentration of acid compounds in the North
Sea should be reduced to pre-industrial levels.
Environmental Boundaries
Ocean acidification
What is ocean acidification?
When CO2 dissolves in seawater, carbonic acid is formed and the ocean
becomes more acidic. Increasing acidification is a result of rising levels of CO2
in the atmosphere.
Why is this critical?
Our oceans have become approximately 30% more acidic since the beginning
of the industrial revolution, due to rising carbon emissions.23 In the North Sea,
heavily frequented shipping lanes also add to acidification as exhaust gases
are transformed into sulphuric acid and nitric acid.24
As the ocean waters become more acidic, calcifying organisms like corals,
mussels, algae and plankton are less able to produce carbonate shells and
skeletons, making them vulnerable to dissolution. This includes commerciallyvaluable species such as molluscs and crustaceans, impacting upon harvest
levels, revenue generation and livelihoods. Both the growth rate and distribution
of cold water corals in the North Sea will be affected. One study has found that
a 0.3 unit decline in pH reduced growth by 56% in Lophelia pertusa.25 Ocean acidification is a global threat but impacts will be felt at the local and
regional level. It is predicted that by 2100 ocean acidity could increase by 170%
compared with pre-industrial levels. This is 10 times faster than any such change
in the last 55 million years.26 Areas across the North Sea will be impacted
differently by ocean acidification as ecosystems respond in a variety of ways. Ocean acidification may also reduce the ability of the ocean to absorb CO2,27
meaning that as we move into the future, more carbon will remain in the
atmosphere and contribute to climate change.
Implications:
• must radically reduce emissions of CO2;
• should help ecosystems and human systems adapt to ocean acidification.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Natural Resources
Stocks of non-renewable resources in the North Sea must not be
depleted faster than the introduction of substitutes or discovery of
new sources, and stocks of renewable resources must be managed
sustainably to meet both human and broader ecosystem needs.
Environmental Boundaries
Natural Resources
What are natural resources?
North Sea natural resources are anything that humans can use which is
gathered from the natural environment. A natural resource is non-renewable if
it cannot be replaced at the rate at which it is being consumed (e.g. fossil fuels
and aggregates) and renewable if regenerated by natural processes within
a reasonable timeframe (e.g. biomass, water, solar power, wind energy and
carefully managed fish populations).
Why is this critical?
Increasing pressure on resources (e.g. through population growth and growing
per capita consumption), combined with increasing scarcity of non-renewable
resources and overuse of renewable resources, will drive up competition,
volatility and cost. This increases the need for more efficient and sustainable
use, recycling, and development of alternative materials.
Since 1964, over 40 billion barrels of oil have been extracted from the North
Sea,28 but production levels have steadily declined since 1999. As oil becomes
harder to extract, costs are rising and whilst this may satisfy an immediate need
for energy, it will add to climate change through both extraction and fuel use.
Overfishing in the North Sea has led to the decline in population of a number of
species. British catches, for example, have declined by 94% over 118 years.29
Governments in the region have put quotas in place for some of these species to
support replenishment; the EU Common Fisheries Policy sets quotas for member
states maximum sustainable yield to recover depleted fish stocks by 2020.30
Each year across the North Sea region, approximately 40 – 48 million cubic
metres of marine mineral deposits, such as sand and gravel, are extracted from
the seabed for the construction industry or beach nourishment.31 Demand for
marine sand and gravel is likely to increase as a result of sea level rise.
Implications:
• must not exploit stocks of renewable resources beyond their recovery point;
• must utilise valuable renewable resources, like wind and solar power, in
place of non-renewable resources where possible;
• must reduce depletion rates of non-renewable resource stocks;
• should build stocks and flows of renewable resources;
• should improve the material efficiency of the economy, for example by
developing closed- loop material systems.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Pollution
Release of contaminants must be controlled in such a way as to
eliminate any damage to natural systems and human health.
Environmental Boundaries
Pollution
What is pollution?
Pollution includes contaminants (chemicals, noise, heat or light) resulting from
human activities which enter the environment and cause adverse change to
air, water, soil, or tissues of plants and animals. These include run-off from
industry or agriculture, under-treated sewage (containing pharmaceutical
residues), as well as air pollution from ships and industry.
Why is this critical?
Agricultural practices, coastal tourism, infrastructure developments, damming
of rivers, urban development, oil and gas extraction, shipping, fisheries and
manufacturing are all sources of pollution in the North Sea. Approximately
20% of sea pollution comes from the deliberate dumping of oil and other
wastes from ships, accidental spills and offshore oil drilling.32
Pollution damages the marine environment and can threaten human health.
It can be slow-acting but cumulative; persistent organic pollutants are not
quickly broken down by natural processes into harmless materials. Pollutants
accumulate in animal tissue and can be amplified as they pass up the food
chain, with a variety of impacts, from direct toxic effects on humans (such as
increased risk of cancers and birth defects), to damaging whole ecosystems.33
Although many hazardous materials have been partly or completely banned
from use in the North Sea region - including tributyltin, an antifouling paint and
PCBs – many are still being released into the environment.34
Noise generated by human activity (drilling, mining etc.) can potentially affect
marine organisms in a variety of ways, both physically and behaviourally.
However, there are many uncertainties remaining in the assessment of noise
related impact.35
Implications:
• must not increase the burden of persistent pollutants on the environment;
• should reduce overall burden of pollution by substitution with less or nonhazardous alternatives if identified;
• could help remove chemical pollution from the environment;
• must adhere to REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction
of Chemicals) and the Basel and Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions on
toxic waste, hazardous chemicals and persistent organic pollutants.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Marine litter
Human-created solid material must be prevented
from entering the North Sea.
Environmental Boundaries
Marine litter
What is marine litter?
Marine litter is human-created solid material that has deliberately or accidentally
been released into the sea. This includes litter such as plastics and metals,
as well as lost fishing debris and shipping containers. Much of the monitored
marine litter is plastic, which degrades very slowly over hundreds of years.36
Why is this critical?
Over 20,000 tons of marine litter enters into the North Sea annually, flowing in
from waterways and through deliberate dumping. Much of this poses a threat
to species and has the potential to disrupt ecosystems and industries.
Plastic waste is a particular problem, with its longevity and tendency to
break down into much smaller particles known as ‘microplastics’, which are
found in some cosmetic and cleaning products. These are ingested by, and
accumulate in, various species, which also exposes them to the potentially
harmful chemicals that become attached to these microplastics. They are
particularly harmful to lugworms, which perform an important role in keeping
the ocean sediment healthy, and over 90% of fulmars have microscopic
plastic particles in their stomachs.
Larger waste items also pose a risk to the North Sea ecosystem, with huge
numbers of fish lost each year to “ghost fishing”, when they are caught in nets
or other fishing gear that has been lost at sea. This waste can also end up on
North Sea beaches, with environmental and cost implications for the relative
authorities. The economic costs of clean-up are significant, with municipalities in
the UK alone spending an estimated €18 million per annum on beach cleaning.
Implications:
• must ensure that waste does not enter the North Sea environment;
• must follow the reduce, reuse and recycle hierarchy;
• should explore using waste as a resource;
• could apply closed loop processes (where waste or by-product is used to
make another product).
www.forumforthefuture.org
Biodiversity
Biodiversity should be maintained, with the species extinction
rate no higher than the estimated background rate of 10
species per million per year.
Environmental Boundaries
Biodiversity
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms within species, between
species and between ecosystems.
Why is this critical?
The North Sea is one of the world’s most varied and productive marine
ecosystems and provides the region with a hub for productive fisheries and
active tourist industry.37 It is home to several species of marine mammals and
some 10 million seabirds are present at most times of the year.38
Rich biodiversity enhances the resilience of ecosystems against shocks and
in turn, supports many of the regional industries. In the North Sea region, 29
species39 and ten habitats40 are considered to be threatened or in decline:
overfishing has reduced certain stocks and affected habitats, whilst warming
temperatures have seen species migrate northwards, blurring the previously
stable boundaries between species habitats. However, many new species
have emerged, through migration or ballast water and new potential habitats
have appeared, including oil rigs and offshore wind farms.41
Threats in marine systems are poorly understood but it appears that
overexploitation is presently the greatest threat to marine species, followed by
habitat loss.42 Fishing quotas and marine protected areas have been established
to protect the diversity of the North Sea ecosystem for future generations.
Implications:
• must reduce rate of loss of biodiversity;
• must reduce impact of operations on North Sea habitats;
• should build biodiversity locally and globally, and encourage broad societal
action on biodiversity;
• should contribute to the development of a common global standard for
valuing biodiversity and ecosystem services.
www.forumforthefuture.org
ENDNOTES
1
Verhofstede, Ingle and De Sutter (2011)
32
UNEP (n.d.)
2
Sherman and Hempel (2009)
33
WWF (n.d.)
3
Ponsar, Ozer and Van den Eynde (2008)
34
OSPAR Commission (2010)
4
Van Den Akker (2011)
35
Thomsen, F. (2009)
5
University of Aberdeen News (2014)
36
OSPAR Commission (2010)
6
IOC/UNESCO, IMO, FAO, UNDP (2011)
37
OSPAR Commission (2000)
7
Bawden (2013)
38
OSPAR Commission, (n.d.)
8
KNMI (2014)
39
OSPAR Commission (2010)
9
OSPAR Commission (n.d.)
40
OSPAR Commission (2010)
10
Ecorys (2012)
41
Van Den Akker (2011)
11
RSPB (n.d.)
42
IUCN (2007)
12
European Environment Agency (2011)
13
Paramor et al (2009)
14
Paramor et al (2009)
15
AFBI and NIEA (2011)
16
Van Den Akker (2011)
17
Cooper et al. (2005)
18
Ærtebjerg et al. (2001)
19
OSPAR Commission (2010)
20
Ærtebjerg et al. (2001)
21
Van Den Akker (2011)
22
CBS, PBL and Wageningen University (2003)
23
Noone, Sumaila and Diaz (2012)
24
Beijer, C. (2013)
25
Lophelia (n.d.)
26
IGBP, IOC, SCOR (2013)
27
Noone, Sumaila and Diaz (2012)
28
BBC (2014)
29
Thurstan, Brockington and Roberts (2010)
30
European Commission (n.d.)
31
OSPAR Commission (2010)
www.forumforthefuture.org
Energy
There must be fair and equitable access to
sustainable energy from the North Sea.
Human Needs
Energy
What is energy?
Energy is the ability or capacity of a physical system to do work. Energy exists in
many forms such as heat, kinetic, chemical or mechanical energy, light, potential
energy and electrical. The North Sea is a source of energy including wind, tidal,
wave, biomass and fossil fuels that is essential to meeting societal needs.
Why is this critical?
All societies depend on sources of energy to meet essential needs such as
the growing and preparation of food, warmth, and the production of goods
and materials. Access to and use of energy in various forms is fundamental to
achieving and maintaining quality of life.
The North Sea provides key resources for the production of energy.
Historically, these have been non-renewable resources such as oil and gas,
although there is now a movement towards renewable energies such as wind,
wave and tidal power, and farming of biofuels (e.g. algae). North Sea oil and
gas production has declined since its peak in 19991 to approximately 1.5
billion barrels of oil equivalent in 20142. In total 547 above-water platforms and
534 subsea structures are spread across the North Sea3.
The increasing deployment of offshore renewable generation is widely
supported as one of the key ways to achieve Kyoto targets for emissions
reduction. A large proportion of the existing and proposed European offshore
wind turbine sites are located in the North Sea. There are 28 operational wind
farms; eight of them in the UK, 11 in Denmark, 4 in the Netherlands, 3 in
Germany and 2 in Belgium4, with substantial additions being prepared due to
rising energy demand from growing populations.
Implications:
• must use energy as efficiently as possible;
• should use energy from renewable sources whenever possible;
• should explore innovative solutions in energy supply, demand, storage and
distribution to provide fair and equitable access to energy.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Recreation
People must have access to natural spaces for
exercise, enjoyment and relaxation.
Human Needs
Recreation
What is recreation?
Activity that refreshes a person’s health or spirit through enjoyment and
relaxation.
Why is this critical?
Recreation – and the time and space to do it – is an essential human need.
Recreation enables people to balance the stresses of life and work, to connect
with themselves, to one another and to the natural world.
The North Sea is an important area for recreational pursuits and attracts
many visitors. The North Sea coastal zone is used intensively for recreation
activities including water sports, sailing, angling, ecotourism and sightseeing.
Archaeological remains and shipwrecks are part of the marine heritage, attracting
both scholars and tourists.
Tourism has increased steadily; in the ten year period between 1998 and 2008
tourist arrivals in the North Sea Region increased by almost 40%11, with a
significant proportion of tourist activity concentrated in the coastal zone.
The growth of tourism has brought economic benefits to communities
in the region, but has been accompanied by significant challenges, with
increasing demand for resources and impacts such as marine litter, increased
congestion, etc.
Implications:
• must balance the needs of recreational activities with industry;
• must conduct recreational activities in ways that support and are
compatible with the needs of the environment.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Income
People in the North Sea region must have the
opportunity to earn income at a level sufficient to live
well and fulfil basic needs.
Human Needs
Income
What is income?
Income is money or equivalent received in exchange for labour or services, sale of
goods or as profit from investment. This is sufficient if it allows for the satisfaction of
basic needs that include food, water and sanitation, energy, shelter, healthcare and
education (on the basis that these are available). The North Sea is the source of
income for individuals and communities through activities including fishing, tourism
and resource extraction.
Why is this critical?
The North Sea is one of the most prosperous areas in the European Union. Its
maritime economy is estimated to represent a GVA of at least € 150 billion (out
of just under € 500 billion for the EU as a whole) and it employs at least 850,000
people (out of 5.4 million people for the EU as a whole) 5. The economic importance
of ports is substantial, with the added value of Dutch seaports in 2013 estimated at
€22.24 billion with direct employment of 170,0006.
Large areas of the North Sea Region are dependent on shrinking markets in
primary labour (e.g. fishing and agriculture in Norway and Denmark) and declining
traditional industrial sectors (e.g. Germany and the UK). This presents a challenge
to organisations and local economies.
Unemployment in the region is below the EU average, although there are pockets
of worklessness, and in some regions there are high numbers of low paid jobs.
There are some significant regional differences in per capita GDP, ranging from
a low of €18,200 in the Scottish Highlands and Islands (UK) to a high of around
€67,900 in Oslo (Norway) 7.
In recent years, growth in certain industries (such as aquaculture in Norway) has helped
boost income and employment in the North Sea region. Efficiency improvements in
technology and practices have meant that some sectors (such as caught fishing) see
an increase in income, but a decrease in the number of people employed.
Implications:
• must offer at least a living wage to all employees regardless of gender, age,
experience or other factors;
• should provide employment opportunities for people from local
communities wherever possible;
• should support sustainable economic growth policies.
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Health and nutrition
People must have the opportunity to lead healthy,
active lives with sources of adequate nutrition.
Human Needs
Health and nutrition
What is it?
Health is state of physical, mental, and social well-being that allows an
individual to participate to their full potential in society and the economy.
Adequate nutrition through food and drink is essential for health and growth.
Why is this critical?
Health is essential to leading a fulfilling life and contributes to a wide range of
positive social and economic outcomes. Good health is linked to economic
growth, political stability and reduced likelihood of conflict. A fundamental
component of a healthy lifestyle is adequate nutrition and the North Sea is an
important source of both nutrition and resources used for health products.
Fish and seafood are a source of essential nutrients including protein and fatty
acids, necessary for physical health. The North Sea supplies approximately
one million tonnes of fish a year for human consumption compared to the EU
annual consumption per capita of 24.5kh, a total of 12.3 million tonnes. 12
Due to historic overfishing, many North Sea fish stocks are in decline and
both voluntary and regulatory measures have been put in place to help
replenish these stocks by 2020. 13 Despite declining fish stocks in the North
Sea in recent years there has been growth in aquaculture in the area, allowing
seafood production to remain stable. Norway is the largest seafood producing
nation in Europe and fish farming has overtaken caught fish in exports. 14
Implications:
• must meet needs for human nutrition within safe environmental limits;
• should promote public policies which incentivise proper nutrition.
• should explore and develop alternative sustainable sources of nutrition.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Education
There must be universal access to education
throughout the North Sea region.
Human Needs
Education
What is education?
The process of acquiring knowledge and understanding.
Why is this critical?
Access to education is critical to people’s livelihoods. Sustained access
to meaningful learning that can be applied is essential for long-term
improvements in productivity, well-being, wealth, health and equality. The
education and training of a country’s workforce is a key factor in determining
productivity levels and business growth. The benefits of education are also felt
through lower crime, increased civic participation, better health and so on.
The North Sea itself is a vital resource for learning, research and exploration,
and income taken from the North Sea resources are re-invested into continued
learning. As such, parts of the region are amongst the top performers in
Europe in terms of highly-educated population and expenditure on R&D.
The North Sea region is a European stronghold in innovation capacity and
resource, with clusters of educational facilities in areas of high economic
prosperity. A key challenge for the area is to use transnational cooperation to
share the learning derived from the North Sea through collaboration between
public and private sectors, and between education and research institutions9.
Implications:
• must ensure people have full access to education and educational opportunities;
• should improve standards and consistency of education;
• could include sustainable development issues in teaching and learning;
• could create opportunities for sharing learning across sectors, institutions
and organisations.
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Culture
Society is built on a strong cultural identity tied to the North
Sea that affects its inhabitants’ behaviour and lives.
Human Needs
Culture
What is it?
Culture is the shared knowledge, values, customs and behaviour of a
particular people or society. Through culture people make meaning, create a
sense of belonging, and determine the norms and values that shape our lives. Why is this critical?
A rich cultural life is an intrinsic part of a sustainable society: it provides the
context in which people work together towards a shared future.
The North Sea region has a rich historical and cultural heritage, characterised
by strong trade links and productive maritime industries. The decline of these
traditional livelihoods can be damaging to local economies and lead to the
loss of cultural traditions and skills - for example, small scale fishing in Norway.
Prosperity acquired through farming North Sea resources has provided fertile
ground for the growth and development of culture and art, with numerous
notable artists being inspired by the seascape and North Sea region, such as
William Turner and Hendrick Vroom.
The North Sea region holds sites of archaeological and ancient cultural interest.
The Doggerland landmass in the North Sea was a rich habitat for humans in the
Mesolithic period, although rising sea levels gradually reduced the land mass.
There have been numerous archaeological finds in many areas of land reclaimed
by the North Sea, for example in the extension of the Port of Rotterdam.8.
Implications:
• should preserve and protect objects and areas of cultural value and significance;
• could contribute to the enjoyment and development of cultural life and
experiences.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Mobility
Ensure that everyone has the ability to access goods,
education, services, people and work.
Human Needs
Mobility
What is mobility?
The ability to meet society’s need for people and goods to be able to move
around and maintain social and economic connections.
Why is this critical?
The North Sea is critical for both freight and passenger transport. It contains
Europe’s largest commercial ports, and freight routes from Dunkirk to
Hamburg via Rotterdam. However, it faces enormous challenges if it is to
break the reliance of transport on fossil fuels, particularly given that transport
flows continue to increase.
An increasing number of smaller ports have been closing their commercial
operations in recent years due to increased competition between ports in
the North Sea region. There is a need to develop the secondary connections
in the North Sea region, i.e. connecting regional port and railway links to
international transport networks to improve their status as international hubs,
limiting the reliance on local, over congested road networks.
Short sea shipping, which encompasses the movement of cargo and passengers
mainly by sea without directly crossing an ocean, could play a vital role in
developing countries’ future transport systems by creating a more sustainable,
low-carbon supply chain and green economy jobs. More efficient short-sea
shipping techniques decrease reliance on more carbon intensive modes of
transport, such as aviation or road transport, including under sea tunnels.10
Implications:
• must balance the mobility needs of business and society with the planet’s
ability to support them;
• must prioritise mobility systems that are low carbon, safe, affordable,
efficient and promote healthy lifestyles;
• should reflect the full environmental and social costs in mobility pricing;
• should explore different business models to fulfil needs for access.
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ENDNOTES
1
Paramor et al (2009)
2
Scottish Government (2014)
3
Van Den Akker (2011)
4
4C Offshore (2015)
5
Ecorys (2012)
6
Havenmonitor (2014)
7
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2014)
8
Wikipedia (2015)
The Interreg North Sea Region Programme is looking at clustering these
programmes to promote sustainable innovation in the region to join up
currently disparate learning in the area.
9
10
Ecorys (2012)
11
Paramor et al (2009)
12
Agritrade (2014)
13
OSPAR Commission (2010)
14
Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs (2013)
www.forumforthefuture.org
Interdependence
All enterprises in the North Sea region should consider
the interdependence of human and natural systems.
Social Foundations
Interdependence
What is interdependence?
Interdependence refers to the critical links within and between human and natural
systems. Human societies are reliant on marine ecosystems for life-sustaining
resources, ecosystem services and recreation; and human activities have impacts
upon these ecosystems.
Why is this critical?
The healthy functioning of North Sea ecosystems is important for human livelihoods
and well-being. Human activities such as fishing, shipping, tourism and energy
generation impact upon these ecosystems and on other users. For example, fishing
techniques such as bottom trawling (towing a net along the sea floor) can disrupt
entire habitats and food webs, and ultimately affect the region’s tourism industry.
Fisheries have the greatest impact on North Sea ecosystem, along with the release
of trace organic contaminants, and nutrients, though impacts of other activities in
combination are also significant.1
Human impacts cannot be assessed in isolation: the effects of chemical pollution
on populations need to be seen in context of the many other impacts on marine
ecosystems such as fishing or shipping. Together, these combined impacts can
lead to systemic disruption of entire ecosystems.
Many of the elements in this framework are interdependent. For example, climate
change affects, and is affected by, biodiversity and ocean acidification. In turn, this
impacts upon the productivity of the North Sea as well as associated livelihoods,
nutrition and socio-economic stability. The costs of such consequences are often
not paid for directly by organisations, but as human activity leads to the decline of
North Sea ecosystems, this will in turn undermine the economic value that can be
derived from those ecosystems in the future.
Implications:
• should take into account direct and indirect impacts of economic activity on
natural and human systems; and vice versa;
• should understand and take into account the combined actual and potential
impacts of multiple economic activities on natural and human systems;
• should value and report the true costs and impacts of resources used, i.e.
paying for biodiversity loss.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Equity
Enable fair and equal access to
resources and opportunities.
Social Foundations
Equity
What is equity?
To be equitable is to be fair and reasonable, and to allow access to the resources
and opportunities of the North Sea region in this way.
Why is this critical?
Treating people with fairness, as equals, gives them the opportunity to make the
most of their lives, regardless of their background or position in life.
Many industries and local communities depend on adequate access to the North
Sea and its resources. As land-based solutions to meet many human needs appear
exhausted, people are increasingly looking towards the sea. At the same time,
space in the North Sea is becoming increasingly scarce. Industry requires access
to the region to operate, whilst local communities may depend on the local area
for livelihoods. Local people and tourists use the coastal zones in the North Sea
for recreation and leisure.2 Many of the North Sea’s resources are common pool
resources, where one person or industry’s use means less is available for others.
Careful marine spatial planning is needed: unfair or restricted access to resources
damages local communities and can ultimately lead to political and social instability.
Although countries in the North Sea region have legislation in place to protect
individuals from discrimination, there are inequalities between the regions, in terms
of social integration and access to the labour market. The highly developed urban
network in the south of the region is not fully integrated with the rural and sparsely
populated areas found in the north.3 This inequality can be detrimental for society
as a whole, and for the economy.
Implications:
• must seek to enable fair and equal access for everyone to resources and
opportunities;
• should take responsibility for using and managing resources fairly, both for
this and for future generations;
• should direct focused action towards those who need it most.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Human Rights
Societies must have broad-based respect for human rights;
people should have freedom to exercise choice and
participate in decision-making that affects their lives.
Social Foundations
Human Rights
What is it?
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of nationality,
place of residence, gender, ethnic origin, colour, religion, language or
any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without
discrimination.
Why is this critical?
The recognition that all people are equal and are entitled to basic human rights
is essential for quality of human life. The UN declaration of Human Rights,
set out in 1948, declares that everyone is entitled to live within a society
that realises these basic human rights. This lays the foundation for enabling
participation from all, regardless of background, gender or religion in political,
social and economic activity. It also requires us to respect the rights of future
generations and their need for access to resources.
Globalisation presents new and complex challenges for human rights.
Companies have significant power and influence over people, especially
those that operate across countries. Some rights are covered by international
agreements, such as the ILO’s (International Labour Organisation) Maritime
Labour Convention which sets the minimum standards to ensure satisfactory
conditions of employment for the world’s seafarers.10 The majority of
international trade into the EU travels by ship through North Sea ports.11
Business can be scrutinised more easily in this connected world and can be
at risk not only from costly litigation, but from their reputation – which can
severely damage a business. North Sea companies can be prosecuted for
withholding information about risks to employees who are injured through their
work. Equally, sound business practice and ethical practices can open up new
markets.
Implications:
• must not violate human rights, and at a minimum adhere to legal standards;
• should promote and respect human rights across all operations;
• should consider the impact of all operations on the rights of future generations;
• could raise standards to ensure that no individual or group’s rights are
marginalised.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Evidence
Evidence should be valued by society and form a core
foundation of sound decision-making.
Social Foundations
Evidence
What is evidence?
Evidence is something which provides grounds for belief or disbelief.
Why is this critical?
Having a solid, reliable foundation of evidence that helps us understand the
world is vital to making the right decisions and successful policy for the long
term. This constitutes careful examination of the evidence base, particularly
in controversial areas, and includes scientific evidence as well as experiential
evidence. Measuring the right factors is vital because it helps us understand
how something works and so how to improve it.
There are many aspects of North Sea ecosystems that are unknown or little
understood. To protect a species and its habitat, it’s key to understand the
environment, and how human use impacts it - for example, how noise from
underwater operations is contributing to declining populations of harbour
porpoises in Dogger Bank.18 Public understanding of the evidence base
for environmental concerns such as climate change or marine ecosystem
degradation is crucial to give governments a mandate for action and policy
making, for example in the setting of fishing quotas.
Examples of data-drive policy include the OSPAR system of Ecological Quality
Objectives. OSPAR has been developing the EcoQO system for the North Sea,
in collaboration with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
(ICES). EcoQOs express the desired qualities of a component of the ecosystem,
and function both as indicators for monitoring and objectives against which to
measure progress.19
Implications:
• must be open and transparent about any evidence used and value social,
environmental and economic factors;
• must take into account any relevant evidence in decision-making;
• should report impact of activities on society and environment through
transparent and systematic measurement and evaluation.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Empathy
Empathy and understanding should be shown
between people, communities and cultures globally.
Social Foundations
Empathy
What is it?
Empathy is our ability to experience and respond to how someone else is
feeling, and comprehend the way they look at themselves and the world.
Why is this critical?
It is important for people to see themselves as connected to each other and
to look beyond national, cultural, biological or religious differences. Historian
Theodore Zeldin concluded “learning to empathise with people different from
ourselves is one of the most effective means of establishing equality that
modern society possesses.”12
Developing activities with empathy for the needs and concerns of others can
lead to a more efficient and productive North Sea – for example, dredging
away from crustacean fisheries or minimising noise pollution from machinery.
Empathy can help to avoid or mitigate environmental or social collapses, and
strengthen markets and economies for the future. Increasingly it is seen as an
essential characteristic of a sustainable society and a key skill for leadership.
Education and awareness-raising can promote empathy by making people
aware of the effects of their activities on others, both humans and other species.
Implications:
• should encourage empathy and cooperation between businesses,
countries and communities;
• should plan and design from an empathetic perspective;
• could promote flow of information and knowledge between people and
communities to enable empathy.
• could develop empathy for other species.
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Safety and security
People must be safe to live their lives free from the
threat of harm or disruption.
Social Foundations
Safety and security
What is safety and security?
This includes personal safety; protection from natural and manmade disasters,
and the protection of property and livelihoods.
Why is this critical?
To be free from the risk of injury, danger or loss is an essential human need.
People need an adequate degree of safety in order to develop and maintain a
sustainable society.
Increased use of the North Sea creates greater safety risks. The North Sea is one
of the busiest sea areas in the world, crossed by significant amounts of traffic
along with strong levels of development to exploit its natural resources. The risk
of accidents and collisions threatening the safety of workers, and subsequent
environmental and economic damage, is high. For example, research indicates
that navigable space allocated to wind farms could increase by up to 5,240%
within just a few years. This would constitute about 5.5% of all navigable space
in the region, with a further 860km² (0.1%) taken up by exclusion zones around
oil and gas platforms. The precise location of many proposed wind farm sites
means that they could have a significant impact on key shipping lanes in the
North Sea Region, increasing the likelihood of safety conflicts.4
Protecting people’s property and where they live are increasingly significant
issues as the North Sea Region is affected by the effects of climate change,
This will include increase in sea levels, and increased incidence of storms and
severe weather events. The effect of these events on the North Sea Region is
likely to be an increased risk of coastal and watershed flooding5 - the flooding
of rivers and water surplus in the regional water systems have recently led
to serious damage in several areas of the North Sea Region6. This is likely to
have adverse social and economic consequences in the affected areas, as
well as profound environmental effects Issues around coastal defences.
Implications:
• must take adequate measures to protect workers and other users of the
North Sea from health and safety risks;
• should take proactive steps to mitigate the impacts of climate change;
• should take into account the risks that activities may pose to other users of
the North Sea.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Accountable governance
Everyone must have access to accountable,
transparent and participatory governance systems.
Social Foundations
Accountable governance
What is it?
Accountable governance refers to systems, checks and balances that require
individuals and organisations to account for, explain or justify their actions,
both voluntary and legal.
The high seas fall under international law, which governs certain activities
(shipping regulations, for example, follow IMO regulations). OSPAR is the
mechanism by which fifteen Governments of the western coasts and
catchments of Europe, together with the European Community, cooperate to
protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.7 The North Sea is
part of the OSPAR area; it is also covered by a number of agreements aimed at
safeguarding the marine environments.
Why is this critical?
The North Sea’s territory is located between Norway and Denmark in the
east, Scotland and England in the west, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium
and France in the south. Member states make use of the North Sea’s assets,
which requires immense coordination between them to avoid conflict and
corruption. As demand for access to the North Sea’s resources rise, so too
does the need for accountable governance.
While countries in the North Sea region have systems of monitoring and
regulating environmental issues, there are still challenges to be met. These
include managing and protecting water supply, biodiversity, and other resources
which are under threat.8
Integrating the range of activities within all accountable governance systems,
including national, EU and international, can be challenging – for example,
engaging or representing the interests of fishermen to sailors as well as
ecosystem needs.
Implications:
• must be transparent and accountable;
• should / could seek to raise standards on visibility and transparency.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Trust
Levels of trust must be high within society, for people
and institutions
Social Foundations
Trust
What is trust?
The belief that others will not knowingly act in a way that is detrimental to our
interests or, better still, will act in a way that benefits our interest.
Why is this critical?
It is argued that trust is the key to efficient markets and economic growth: it
enables people to interact with confidence, making it easier to do business with
each other, and therefore underpins a successful economy. Some economists
believe that levels of trust can explain difference in per capita income of nations.
Trust is essential to building enduring connections within communities – with
employees, suppliers, customers, and within local communities. It supports risk
taking that can lead to innovation.
Lack of trust between different stakeholders, such as between the scientific
and fishing communities in the North Sea, limits co-operation and can stifle
productivity. With pressures on the North Sea and its resources growing, multistakeholder processes are increasingly necessary to understand and minimise
combined impacts, and involving all stakeholders in the dialogue will be key.
Implications:
• should not undermine levels of trust in society or the basis for trust, such as
social networks;
• should build trust, for example through actively engaging stakeholders and
ensuring transparency.
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Resilience
Society must build resilience of natural and human
systems to cope with shocks and stresses.
Social Foundations
Resilience
What is it?
Resilience is the ability to absorb disturbances, evolve to cope with dynamic
change and adapt and learn from the experience.
Why is this critical?
All our systems are vulnerable to shocks and stresses, which are becoming
more likely as the impacts of climate change become more apparent and as
pressures on the North Sea increase. Systems with low resilience – whether a
natural marine habitat, a city, rural community or a product supply chain – can
only cope with small shocks and stresses.
The North Sea is home to a range of resources that are depended upon
by communities and industry across the region and beyond. Increasing
exploitation of these resources is putting pressure on the marine ecosystems
and reducing diversity which supports resilience. Overfishing of a particular
species could lower the resilience of the food web, leaving it vulnerable to
shocks and threatening the stability of one of the world’s most important
fishing grounds.
An ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities helps
ensure that the collective pressure of different activities is kept within levels
compatible with the achievement of good environmental status. It means the
capacity of marine ecosystems to respond to human-induced changes is
not compromised, while enabling the sustainable use of marine goods and
services by present and future generations.9
Implications:
• must design and act for recovery and flexibility and not just for growth and
efficiency, e.g. through building solutions that are adaptable, and a diverse and
secure supply chain;
• should be able to respond effectively, build ongoing processes for learning,
recovery and flexibility into strategy;
• must not damage the resilience of North Sea ecosystems.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Information
There must be open access to information.
Social Foundations
Information
What is it?
Information is knowledge that can be acquired and shared.
Why is this critical?
Access to information increases understanding and guides behaviour and decision
making. The sharing of information enables greater understanding of complex living
systems and how they are affected by human and other natural systems.
The ongoing digital revolution will drive increased access to information.
Information technology (IT) enables individuals and the media to contribute more
to transparent, accountable politics by opening public debates and exposing
corruption and abuse. The rise of social media platforms such as blogs and
social networking have led to more individuals being involved in calling key
institutions to account across the world.
Open and transparent sharing of information enables active involvement of
the public and other stakeholders in the establishment, implementing and
updating of strategies affecting the North Sea environment. For example, the
Fisheries Science Partnership has facilitated information sharing between
sectors, leading to improved fisheries data, better stock assessments and
innovative ideas that benefit both the science and fishing communities17.
In addition to data sharing, long term monitoring is needed to stay within
ecosystem boundaries.
Implications:
• must support affordable and open flow of information and knowledge
between people, business and communities;
• should enable others to provide universal access to information;
• could develop platforms for open, transparent sharing of information and
monitoring.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Skills
Build skills and capacities for individuals to participate
in the economy and society.
Social Foundations
Skills
What is it?
A skill is a learned capacity to carry out a task for predetermined results.
Why is this critical?
People’s skills are vital to their ability to work and participate in the economy.
Without basic skills, it is difficult, if not impossible, for people to engage
with many of the social foundations that make up a sustainable economy.
For example, access to information requires literacy and numeracy, and
increasingly, IT skills. Resilient communities depend on people having
good interpersonal skills, including the ability to deal with change, resolve
differences with others and co-operate.
Good skills are vital for an organisation’s success, particularly management,
leadership and technical skills. Investing in building individual skills attracts
workforce, improves productivity and morale and staff retention, as well as
attracting investors.
Regions around the North Sea are facing considerable economic challenges.
Significant areas have a dependency on agriculture and fishery with shrinking
labour markets, or on declining traditional industrial sectors. Formerly strong
areas, such as oil extraction, are on the wane, whilst new industries such as
renewable energy are on the rise.13 New and evolving industries require people to
develop, or bring, new skills.
Implications:
• must enable people to gain the basic skills for participating in society and the
economy – these will often be delivered through education and experience;
• should invest and build wide-ranging skills and capacity of individuals to
realise their potential;
• should invest in the development of skills for new industries aligned to a
sustainable economy;
• should build the skill of how to learn.
www.forumforthefuture.org
Communication
Users of the North Sea region should engage in
constructive two-way communication with stakeholders.
Social Foundations
Interdependence
What is communication?
Communication is the sharing of ideas, information and feelings.
Why is this critical?
Communication is essential for building understanding and co-operation.
It involves inviting, listening and responding to others as well as delivering
messages, through speaking, writing or other mediums. Effective
communication is one of the key components of building and maintaining
relationships between individuals, groups, communities and institutions.
Communication programmes can help raise awareness of issues such as
the effects of climate change on the North Sea environments, and ways of
mitigating and adapting to it. For example, educating the public and other
stakeholders on the issues surrounding flooding and flood defences builds
understanding of the issues, promotes participation and engagement in taking
appropriate actions.20
Good two-way communication is an essential aspect of multi-stakeholder and
collaborative processes, in which creating shared understanding of the needs
of other stakeholders is key.
Implications:
• must communicate impacts of activity to stakeholders;
• should engage in two-way communication with relevant stakeholders.
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ENDNOTES
1
OSPAR Commission (2000)
2
OSPAR Commission (2000)
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region
Programme 2007 – 2013
3
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region
Programme 2007 – 2013
4
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2011) and also Interreg IVB North
Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region Programme 2007 – 2013
5
6
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2011)
7
Ecorys (2012).
Interreg North Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region Programme
2014 – 2020
8
9
EU (2008)
10
ITF Seafarers (n.d.)
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region
Programme 2007 – 2013
11
12
Zeldin, T. (1995) and also Zeldin, T. (1999)
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region
Programme 2007 – 2013
13
Interreg North Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region Programme
2014 – 2020
14
15
Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) (n.d.)
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region
Programme 2007 – 2013
16
17
National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) (n.d.)
18
Marine Conservation Research International (MCR) (2012)
19
OSPAR Commission (2010)
Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme (2011) and also Interreg IVB North
Sea Region Programme (2014) North Sea Region Programme 2007 – 2013
20
www.forumforthefuture.org
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Environmental Boundaries – source list
Verhofstede, B., Ingle, R. and De Sutter, R. (2011) Comparison of climate
change effects across North Sea countries, Climate Proof Areas Work
Package 1 Report, February 2011, Ghent University Centre for Mobility and
Physical Planning, Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme
Sherman, K. and Hempel, G. (2009) The UNEP Large Marine Ecosystem
Report: A perspective on changing conditions in LMEs of the world’s Regional
Seas, UNEP Regional Seas Report and Studies no. 182, Nairobi: United
Nations Environment Programme.
Ponsar, S., Ozer, J. and Van den Eynde, D. (2008) Impacts of climate change
on the ecological
parameters of the North Sea (literature study). CLIMAR Project Work Package
1 Report, Contract SD/NS/01A, Brussels: Management Unit of the North Sea
Mathematical Models, 37 pp. (Annex 1-02).
Van Den Akker, J. (2011) The North Sea ecosystem, Background report Phase
1, Living North Sea Initiative, LNS128_DEF March 2011, Amsterdam: IMSA
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