Marine Environment

The marine environment is subject to a variety of threats, including loss or degradation of biodiversity and changes in its structure, loss of habitats, contamination by dangerous substances and nutrients, and the possible future effects of climate change.  In response to these threats, governments are adopting a range of measures to manage the marine ecosystem more effectively and to ensure that it is used in a sustainable way.  These include the EU Marine Thematic Strategy and Directive, one of the seven key thematic strategies adopted by the European Commission to address environmental issues and proposed new arrangements at UK level.

RPA has worked with the UK Government to review the potential impacts of the EU proposals as they have developed from a broadly-based strategy to a Directive with specific targets and requirements.  Together with ABP Marine Environmental Research and Terence O’Rourke we have helped to develop the concept of Marine Spatial Planning and identify what it would mean for different stakeholders.  We have reviewed how marine licensing systems might be consolidated and the potential benefits and disadvantages that this might incur, and we have provided assistance to Defra in identifying the implications of different options for new marine management arrangements and the costs and benefits of these for government, industry, NGOs and others.  As part of our work on the Water Framework Directive we have also evaluated how water quality standards might affect transitional and coastal waters and contribute to the effective management of the marine environment.