Ocean-related strategies
Slide through to explore some of the main marine-related EGD strategies adopted since 2019
2030 Climate Target Plan
Aims to to significantly reduce GHG emissions and pave the way for the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This plan is not merely an environmental strategy; it also encompasses economic and societal transformation towards more sustainable practice
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EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030
Aims to protect and effectively manage at least 30% of the EU’s land and seas (with one third under strict protection). It promotes an ambitious nature restoration agenda, comprising Marine Protected Areas' (MPAs) management and connectivity.
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EU Climate Adaptation Strategy
Focuses on fostering adaptation actions by Member States, improving decision-making for climate impact preparedness, climate risk assessments, bolstering adaptation in sectors such as agriculture, transport, and infrastructure, and expanding the Climate-ADAPT platform.
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Zero Pollution Action Plan
Aims to significantly reducing pollution by 2050, by targeting air pollution, chemical pesticides, nutrient loss, plastic, and other waste, improving the implementation and enforcement of existing pollution legislation, promoting low-emission shipping and renewing commitments for water and air quality standards in the EU.
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Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy
The main goals are respectively; decarbonisation of the maritime sectors, preservation of natural capital, responsible food production, biodiversity and investing in nature, coastal resilience, zero pollution and circular economy .
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EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy
Highlights the relevance of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) to assess the impacts of offshore renewable energy on marine biodiversity, and the need for spatial plans to ensure chosen locations are appropriate from an environmental, economic and social perspective.
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Before diving into the coherence analysis of policies, it is essential to map out and concretise the ocean related visions, objectives, and targets of the European Green Deal.

Many of the European Green Deal (EGD) interconnected policy objectives are focusing on tackling the thorny and urgent challenges concerning biodiversity, climate change, and pollution. That offers an opportunity to cluster its policy objectives in terms of the challenges they are targeting under the three streams of biodiversity, climate change and pollution. 

 Each stream focuses on specific goals for a sustainable future and aims to address the challenges and opportunities associated with them. While each of these streams appears to trigger a different bundle of policies and regulatory instruments, in practice, there are myriads of interconnections among them.

Representation of the three main policy streams
Graphic layout: Folco Soffietti (IUAV)

For each policy stream, CrossGov identified the EGD vision and the related EGD strategies.

These includes both direct and non-direct impact strategies. The direct strategies address the issues related to the marine environment, such as marine pollution, overfishing, ocean acidification, the production of marine renewable energy, and the regulation of use of energy sources at ports. Non-direct impact strategies address issues that have significant implications for the oceans, such energy generation, industrial emissions and agriculture.

As the three streams of the EGD do not exist nor operate in isolation, cross-cutting strategies were also identified to start visualising insights on where issues of coherence and cross-compliance might arise.

Biodiversity

EGD related EU strategies 

  • EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and its Action Plan
  • 8th Environment Action Plan
  • EU Pollinators Initiative
  • EU Action Plan on protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries Strategy for the EU’s Outermost Regions
  • EU Global Ocean Governance Strategy 2022 (green diplomacy and leadership)

Cross-cutting EGD related strategies

  • EU Farm to Fork Strategy (cross-reference in Biodiversity Strategy)
  • Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy
  • EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy (cross-reference in Biodiversity Strategy)
  • Zero Pollution Action Plan (cross-reference in Biodiversity Strategy)
  • EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (cross-reference in Biodiversity Strategy)
  • EU Strategy for Financing the Transition to a Sustainable Economy (cross reference in Biodiversity Strategy)
  • European Green Deal Investment Plan

EGD related EU strategies 

  • EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change
  • Fit for 55 Package
  • EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy
  • FuelEU Maritime Initiative
  • EU Hydrogen Strategy
  • EU Industrial Strategy
  • Sustainable Smart Mobility Strategy
  • Investing in a climate-neutral future for the benefit of our people
  • Communication on Sustainable Carbon Cycles
  • RePower EU
  • Energy System Integration Strategy
  • Sustainable EU Algae Strategy
  • Proposal for ‘Inland Navigation Action Plan 2021-2027’ (NAIADES III)
  •  EU Mission Adaptation to Climate Change Implementation Plan

Cross-cutting EGD related strategies

  • EU Biodiversity 2030 Strategy
  • Zero Pollution Action Plan
  • Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy
  • EU Action Plan on protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries
  • European Green Deal Investment Plan

EGD related EU strategies 

  • Zero Pollution Action Plan for Water, Air and Soil
  • Mission Healthy Ocean, Seas Coastal and Inland Waters
  • Chemicals Strategy
  • New Industrial Strategy and Industry Alliances

Cross-cutting EGD related strategies

  • EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030
  • Farm to Fork
  • Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy
  • EU Action Plan on protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries
  • European Green Deal Investment Plan

The content provided has been extracted from the Deliverable 1.1 (Green Deal objectives and scenarios) of the CrossGov project.