The scientific article written by Gunnar Sander as part of the CrossGov project provides important messages about ocean governance and highlights why European approaches are important in a global context.
The observation that MSP has taken over as the ruling paradigm for ocean governance is important. So is the observation about the “conservationist camp’s” focus on MPAs, forgetting EBM as a more holistic approach that could ensure a better selection of the MPAs that is supposed to cover 30% of the oceans, and better protection of the 70% outside MPAs. The implications of this should provide input to the work in CrossGov’s work on biodiversity and pollution; the successful implementation of MSFD in all the MSs would probably have reduced some of the environmental problems we can observe in the European seas. MSFD should be a key instrument for the European Union if it wants to achieve the EGD objectives for its oceans and seas.
