IORA Indian Ocean Conference on "Marine Spatial Planning - Towards Sustainable Use of the Indian Ocean"

Over the past years, there has been a high and rapidly increasing demand for marine space for activities such as maritime shipping, fishing, tourism, aquaculture, ecosystem and biodiversity conservation and renewable energy. Such demands place multiple pressures on coastal resources. In order to promote a sustainable and integrated use of marine space, coastal States all over the world are now adopting an integrated planning and management approach through marine spatial planning.

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is the comprehensive knowledge process that can formulate coordinated policies for the sustainable utilisation of marine resources in energy, industry, environment and recreation for economic development. MSP can also contribute to the effective management of marine activities and coastal resources by creating a framework for efficient, sustainable and evidence-based decision-making.

It is therefore proposed to host a Marine Spatial Planning Conference to provide IORA Member States with an opportunity to learn more about how to achieve their respective targets under Sustainable Devolvement Goal 14 by using effective MSP methodology.