Work Package 7: Planning, management and legislation

Objectives:

• Provide policy advice on appropriate and effective management, regulation and use of selected currently designated and non-designated BC ecosystems

• Develop guidance for national policymakers and local planners on incorporating BC considerations into their respective policies to ensure long-term protection

• Expand policy advice to inform future MPA designation process and wider Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)

• Inclusion in the EU and Ireland’s reporting requirements in response to climate change (Paris Agreement/NDCs)

Tasks:

• Investigation of the inclusion of BC in national marine, climate and biodiversity policy and sub-national implementation

• Assessment and review the governance framework for BC habitats/sites in Ireland

• Development of criteria for potential designation of BC Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

• Integration of BC into international mechanisms and national frameworks for achieving climate mitigation objectives

Deliverables:

• Guidance documents on how BC can be more effectively incorporated into national policy, sectoral consenting systems and local plans

• Review of current governance of BC sites with recommendations for long term management

• Selection, management and monitoring criteria for potential BC MPAs

• Recommendations for integrating of BC into international & national climate mitigation reporting

• MSc on the Planning and Management of BCEs in Ireland

• Dataset of C storage capacity from BC systems for inclusion in Ireland’s GHG Inventory Report