Tools for sustainable planning
The project will develop and test novel concepts of ecosystem services mapping, environmental accounting and sustainability assessment as well as embed these elements into a synthetic decision-support geoportal capable of developing sustainable planning solutions in two transnational pilot areas: Finland-Estonia in the Gulf of Finland and Estonia-Latvia in the Gulf of Riga. The total project budget is 1 515 601, and the Central Baltic Programme contribution is 1 202 609 €.
The work is organised into work packges:
WP1 develops up-to-date and factual-based knowledge on marine ecosystem structure, functioning and ecosystem service supply in the project area. The work package also advances the methodology of the assessment of cumulative impacts of human uses on the environment.
WP2 will use the datasets produced by WP1 and develop and test a framework of natural capital accounting that involves different types of ecosystem services with economic sectors.
Under the WP3 the knowledge generated by the environmental accounting system is used and communicated through the Sustainability Compass, a tool that synthesises big data by indicators, classified by key themes related to the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
WP4 then dynamically links novel concepts of ecosystem services mapping, environmental accounting and sustainability compass into a geo-spatial representation tool tailored for key actors and stakeholders. The geo-spatial portal will be a user-friendly communication tool to decision makers allowing participation and continuous update of knowledge and data.
More information
Susanna Jernberg, Marine Research Centre
email: forename.surname@environment.fi
More information about the progress and results of the project will be available on project's joint website: http://marea.balticseaportal.net/.
Photo: Riku Lumiaro