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Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and partners have launched ASPACE, a free decision-support tool aimed at improving how climate change is considered in marine planning.
The ASPACE (Assisted Planning Addressing Climate Effects) platform combines climate modelling, economic analysis and stakeholder input to help marine planners compare how different ocean management choices could affect nature, the economy and coastal communities as the climate changes.
ASPACE was developed by PML with the University of Valencia, University of Essex, University of York and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, alongside European end-users. Initially focused on the UK, the tool already includes data for Europe, the Western Indian Ocean and South East Asia, with global coverage planned.
“We are at a crossroads at which we need to decide now what future we want for our ocean and our planet,” said Professor Ana Queirós of PML, project lead and an internationally-recognised expert in climate-resilient ocean spatial management, describing ASPACE as “a critical first step” towards more sustainable ocean management.
“ASPACE products are already being used to support decisions by the Crown Estate and governmental departments in the UK, from local to national scale, and we are now starting to deploy it in Europe. With ASPACE now publicly available, and as the ASPACE community grows, this capacity will become available globally. This will be key to ensure everyone has access to the tools needed to deliver evidence-based, sustainable ocean into the future,” Queirós added.
The tool is intended to support marine spatial planning, fisheries management and conservation decisions, and is available online with guidance for non-technical users.