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CORDIS

Marine renewable energies in areas beyond national jurisdiction: legal answers to new environmental and governing challenges

Project description

Sustainable development of marine renewable energy in areas beyond national jurisdiction

About 64 % of our oceans are marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). The use of marine renewable energy (MRE) in these areas can promote energy security and competitiveness and help combat climate change. However, MRE expansion into marine ABNJ can involve new risks and threats to security and biodiversity. The EU-funded RENEWABLE-HIGH-SEAS project aims to enhance the sustainable development of MRE in ABNJ in Europe and worldwide. To this end, it will analyse global and European regional regulatory frameworks in terms of MRE development and environmental protection related to their development in ABNJ. It will also investigate new forms of governance through global energy agencies. The project will help advance and strengthen renewable energy and related environmental governance in ABNJ.

Objective

Roughly 64% of our oceans are marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), i.e. the international seabed area (Area) and the high seas. This extensive area has unparalleled potential for the use of marine renewable energies (MREs) to provide energy security and competitiveness (i.e. creation of jobs and economic development) to the States as well as for the fight against climate change at a global scale. Accordingly, States are becoming increasingly interested in the economic and climate change mitigation potential in ABNJ. At the same time, however, the expansion of MREs into marine ABNJ as well as the environmental impacts associated with their development can entail new risks and threats to security and biodiversity due to the significant regulatory challenges and governance gaps in ABNJ.

This project aims to enhance the sustainable development of MREs in ABNJ in a global and European regional context. To achieve this, the project will analyse the ability of the global and European regional regulatory frameworks for the development of MREs and the protection of the environment related to their development in ABNJ, as well as will explore new forms of governance through global energy agencies (IRENA and IEA).

As a result, this project will shed light on normative questions related to governance, sovereignty and policy-making considering global and regional forms of governance of MREs in ABNJ, which will significantly contribute to advancing and strengthening the renewable energy and related environmental governance in ABNJ as well as to opening-up discussions and debates on this issue within academics, state officials negotiating the UN treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in ABNJ, professionals, the MRE industry and the wider community.

Coordinator

UNIVERSIDAD DE JAEN
Net EU contribution
€ 172 932,48
Address
CAMPUS LAS LAGUNILLAS SN EDIFICO B1 VICERRECTORADO DE INVESTIGACION DESAR TECN E INNOVACION
23071 Jaen
Spain

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Region
Sur Andalucía Jaén
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 172 932,48