Towards a more inclusive, systemic and multi-regulatory Blue Economy: the case of offshore wind energy

Climate change is affecting the oceans with increased sea levels, ocean acidification and extreme weather affecting coastal ecosystems. This necessitates a new model for climate and marine law, because existing law and policy are insufficient to tackle adaptation and mitigation impacts upon the marine environment. Presently, we do not know what it takes to integrate and balance climate legislation and governance when faced with unknown problems. The concept of Blue Economy is new and originates from the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. This chapter explores how one can best build new knowledge that can integrate climate law and marine governance. It does so by proposing the creation of a nexus between ecosystem-based regulations and marine spatial planning in order to create a new paradigm for effective and inclusive Blue Economy, using a systemic multi-regulatory framework (Global, Regional and National).