Advancing transboundary governance: Baltic and North Sea challenges and prospects

The session aims to identify pathways for more adaptive, inclusive, and coherent governance, offering insights into how cross-basin learning and dialogue can help future-proof maritime governance structures across European sea regions. Focusing on the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), the session will present findings from the ongoing NESB project’s governance analysis, which explores current governance structures and practices related to marine space and Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). It will also introduce developments in the North Sea, including the initial phase of governance scenario development under the NESB project, as well as the evolving and increasingly prominent role of the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (GNSBI).

Through a comparative lens, the discussion will highlight both differences and commonalities in governance approaches across the two sea basins, particularly in addressing challenges such as climate change, ecosystem degradation, spatial conflicts, and the acceleration of offshore energy development. Authors of the governance analysis and scenario work will be joined by key stakeholders – including representatives of GNSBI, the HELCOM-VASAB MSP Working Group, and national policymakers or planners – to reflect on current structures and co-develop ideas for more effective and forward-looking governance models.

Lead organisers:
Maritime Institute of Gdynia Maritime University, VASAB