Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Marine Spatial Planning for Hydrocarbon Activities in the Black Sea

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is increasingly being used as an important tool for Integrated Coastal Zone Management in marine areas. Many coastal states, as well as the European Union, have incorporated MSP into their legal system. The increase in hydrocarbon activities in the Black Sea has put additional pressures on a sea already considered to be environmentally at risk. The current regional legal framework for the Black Sea remains inadequate to meet the pressures of increased transport and exploitation of hydrocarbon resources. This paper will examine MSP in general and its application in the Black Sea.