Marine Renewable Energies and the European Regional Seas Conventions

Abstract

Marine renewable energies (mres) have become a priority in the eu due to their potential contribution to mitigating climate change and providing competitive, affordable, and secure energy (among other benefits). However, the installation, maintenance, operation, and decommissioning of mres, in addition to the energy transmission to the grid and the development of the related industry, could compromise the protection of the marine environment. The Regional Seas Conventions (rscs) are some of the relevant legal instruments for the protection of the marine environment at the European regional level. This article analyses the applicability of the rscs to mres and argues that these instruments offer only generic protection against the environmental effects associated with the deployment of these sources of energy. However, the interaction between the rscs and relevant eu secondary law instruments applicable to mres can strengthen the environmental protection against the environmental effects of mres in the eu’s maritime spaces. 1