Work Package 7 - Develop sustainable transition plans for selected sectors using case studies
Partner responsible - Queen’s University BelfastWithin this work package case study examples across a number of key marine sectors will be used as 'living labs' through which to identify Blue Growth (sustainable) Pathways. Blue growth is defined as growth that does not interfere with the marine environment’s long term ability to continue to deliver ecosystem services. Living labs are aimed to serve innovation in (evolving) real-life contexts.
Co-creation and co-designing are key tenets, allowing a multitude of stakeholders to work together on complex challenges through user-driven processes of exploration, experimentation and evaluation. The living labs approach will involve: a) conducting a feasibility assessment of growth scenarios; and b) constraint mapping. A feasibility assessment assists analysts in producing forecasts about the probable impact of stakeholders in supporting or opposing the adaptation and/or implementation of different policy alternatives. Constraint mapping is a procedure for identifying and classifying barriers to Blue Growth. Constrains could be physical, legal, organizational, political, distributional or budgetary.
From these two tasks a sustainable, Blue Growth pathway will be developed for ports and shipping, marine tourism initiatives, marine energy, aquaculture and fishing. For example, using Belfast port in Northern Ireland, this case study, in conjunction with local stakeholders, will critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges for ports and shipping under the Blue Growth agenda. The living labs approach is an innovative approach to identify the blue growth (sustainable) pathways of the chosen industries. Living labs are purposely aimed to serve innovation in (evolving) real-life contexts. Co-creation and co-designing are key aspects of living labs, allowing a multitude of stakeholders to work together on complex challenges through user-driven processes of exploration, experimentation and evaluation.
By using several techniques, such as a feasibility assessment and constraint mapping, and by engaging with stakeholders over a longer period of time than other participatory methods (e.g. workshops), information regarding possible transition pathways towards sustainable Blue Growth in the chosen sectors will be co-produced with key stakeholders. Constrains (eg. physical, legal, organisational, distributional or budgetary) will be identified by the stakeholders within the living lab, with the view to developing innovative solutions to Blue Growth constraints.
Co-creation and co-designing are key tenets, allowing a multitude of stakeholders to work together on complex challenges through user-driven processes of exploration, experimentation and evaluation. The living labs approach will involve: a) conducting a feasibility assessment of growth scenarios; and b) constraint mapping. A feasibility assessment assists analysts in producing forecasts about the probable impact of stakeholders in supporting or opposing the adaptation and/or implementation of different policy alternatives. Constraint mapping is a procedure for identifying and classifying barriers to Blue Growth. Constrains could be physical, legal, organizational, political, distributional or budgetary.
From these two tasks a sustainable, Blue Growth pathway will be developed for ports and shipping, marine tourism initiatives, marine energy, aquaculture and fishing. For example, using Belfast port in Northern Ireland, this case study, in conjunction with local stakeholders, will critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges for ports and shipping under the Blue Growth agenda. The living labs approach is an innovative approach to identify the blue growth (sustainable) pathways of the chosen industries. Living labs are purposely aimed to serve innovation in (evolving) real-life contexts. Co-creation and co-designing are key aspects of living labs, allowing a multitude of stakeholders to work together on complex challenges through user-driven processes of exploration, experimentation and evaluation.
By using several techniques, such as a feasibility assessment and constraint mapping, and by engaging with stakeholders over a longer period of time than other participatory methods (e.g. workshops), information regarding possible transition pathways towards sustainable Blue Growth in the chosen sectors will be co-produced with key stakeholders. Constrains (eg. physical, legal, organisational, distributional or budgetary) will be identified by the stakeholders within the living lab, with the view to developing innovative solutions to Blue Growth constraints.
WP7 Actions and Outputs
Action #
Description of Action
Deliverable
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Action 1:
Blue Growth pathway for ports
Blue Growth pathway for ports
Using Belfast port in Northern Ireland, this case study, in conjunction with local stakeholders, will critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges for ports and shipping under the Blue Growth agenda. Through the case study Blue Growth opportunities for ports and shipping in the Atlantic Area will be identified as well as a template for a sustainable, Blue Growth pathway for the ports and shipping sectors in the Atlantic Area.
Action 2:
Blue Growth pathway for coastal tourism trails
Blue Growth pathway for coastal tourism trails
Using the Wild Atlantic Way tourism trail in the Republic of Ireland, this case study will critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges for coastal areas to develop marine tourism initiatives in line with the Atlantic Strategy and the Blue Growth agenda. Through the case study, Blue Growth opportunities for marine tourism trails in the Atlantic Area will be identified as well as a template for a sustainable, Blue Growth pathway for coastal trail tourism in the Atlantic Area.
Action 3:
Blue Growth pathway for aquaculture
Blue Growth pathway for aquaculture
This action will provide quantitative indicators) for assessing sustainable development in aquaculture, using the Portuguese coastal area for the last decade as case-study. Sustainability will be assessed using 4 dimensions: economic, social, environmental and governance. The methodology for the selection of indicators will integrate the ones identified in the literature and others that rely on a participatory approach performed by a multi-stakeholders consensus in a multi-disciplinary context.
Action 4:
Blue Growth pathway for commercial fishing
Blue Growth pathway for commercial fishing
This action will examine the cumulative and interactive impacts of the production of local, healthy seafood in the Atlantic, which at the same time depends upon factors such as suitable water quality and habitats, presence of nursery habitat, accessible harbours and even the existence of local markets that are also influenced by other coastal activities. These impacts are largely ignored in management plans due to the compartmentalized nature of current management.
Action 5:
Quantitative analysis of tourism mobility in the Atlantic Arc
Quantitative analysis of tourism mobility in the Atlantic Arc
The EU listed coastal/maritime tourism as a focus area for delivering sustainable growth and jobs in the blue economy. The challenge is to address demand volatility, changes in Atlantic tourism behaviour, promoting strategic trans-regional partnerships. Therefore, a quantitative analysis of tourism flows within the Atlantic arc is needed based on NUTS3/LAU data using indicators for tourism demand/supply, natural and cultural heritage, infrastructures, accessibility and environmental pressures.
Action 6:
Blue Growth pathway for marine renewable energy
Blue Growth pathway for marine renewable energy
Marine renewable energy (including offshore wind), as a component of EC’s Blue Growth strategy, will be addressed using its development in Brittany as a case study. On the basis of EC’s Blue Energy action list (2014), the aim is to analyse Brittany’s blue energy growth in co-operation with regional associations, in terms of regional impacts and main challenges. Options will then be proposed for a sustainable pathway in the Atlantic Area.
