Beyond Ireland’s rolling green hills and storied countryside, the nation’s marine territory spans more than 10 times its landmass. Its rocky, rugged coast borders a frigid, slate-hued ocean where kelp forests, seagrass meadows and cold-water coral reefs dwell beneath the water’s surface, providing habitat for an array of sea life. Confronted by diverse pressures, these marine ecosystems are under threat. Microplastics, industrial pollution, destructive fishing practices and rising water temperatures due to climate change, among other stressors, are contributing to the accelerating uncertainty faced by the world’s oceans, including those around Ireland. To relieve pressure on these vulnerable ecosystems, Ireland is proposing to legally designate up to 30% of its sea space as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030 (currently that number is at 9%). It also plans to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with offshore renewable energy (ORE) serving as a cornerstone of this effort. The country is aiming to increase ORE from a single 25 megawatt (0.025 gigawatt) offshore wind farm to 37 GW by 2050. “Inaction to address climate change will be bad for marine biodiversity,” warns Donal Griffin, campaign coordinator at Fair Seas, a coalition of Irish environmental groups championing ocean conservation. He maintains that offshore wind farms are important to Ireland’s climate strategy but insists that environmental considerations must guide their placement. Griffin also says that placing MPAs and offshore wind farms together should be a last resort and that any protected marine space co-located with a wind farm should not contribute toward Ireland’s 30% protection goal. Peter Coyle, executive chairman at the Marine Renewables Industry Association (MRIA), says that “the space ORE will take up will be tiny, even at a very large scale.” He assures that offshore wind farms can exist entirely outside Ireland’s 30% MPA coverage target. That said, Coyle adds, “there’s no reason why co-location can’t take place” if it doesn’t disturb the environment. Meanwhile, as Ireland prepares to divide its waters between MPAs and ORE, the fishing industry’s role in this evolving seascape remains uncertain. “There’s no one more concerned with making sure there’s going to be … Continue reading Can we protect ocean ecosystems and support thriving fishing and ocean energy industries, too?