The Government Work Plan includes workstreams to develop both Green and Blue Economy Supporting Plans, which will help to maximise the multi-functional use of Guernsey's marine and terrestrial spaces.
The Blue Economy Supporting Plan has been prioritised and is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2024. The Green Economy Supporting Plan will then be finalised in 2025.
Blue Economy Supporting Plan
Our marine environment is a national asset that supports a diverse range of economic opportunities:
- food,
- tourism & recreation,
- energy & infrastructure, and
- new applications for climate change solutions and green finance.
In parallel, our marine assets provide us with many non-commercial benefits; for example, cultural, sporting, ecological, health, wellbeing and our mild climate.
To maintain and maximise the benefits of these ecosystem services the marine environment needs to be protected, managed and developed sustainably for and by our community. By developing a Blue Economy Supporting Plan, Guernsey is committing to ensure that the marine natural assets will be a key component of our economic recovery and sustainable growth, generating benefits for our island, now and for future generations. Such a commitment is pivotal to deliver a truly sustainable blue economy.
There are several phases to this work, with the first being to capture data and analyse our local seabed environment. From this, throughout 2023, a marine biosecurity plan will be developed, as well as a Natural Capital Atlas for the marine and terrestrial environment, and a Marine Biodiversity Net Gain Pilot will be undertaken. All of this information and work will then feed into the Blue Economy Support Plan, including the full development of Marine Biodiversity Net Gain.
Developing the Blue Economy Supporting Plan (BESP) will allow for the States of Guernsey to develop its knowledge and understanding of the marine environment and agree the strategic economic, social and environmental policies for how utilisation of the marine space should be distributed to maximise ecosystem services.
