About the GNSBI
Activities at sea are deeply interconnected: decisions made in one sector or country can have far-reaching positive or negative impacts on other sectors, neighboring nations, and the overall ecological balance of the North Sea. Achieving our shared ambitions for the North Sea requires a cross-sectoral and international approach.
To address this complexity, the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (GNSBI) was established in 2023 with all nine countries bordering the Greater North Sea basin: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
This initiative, supported by the European Commission, provides a regional platform for the integrated and coordinated use of the sea, bringing together stakeholders across sectors and national boundaries.
GNSBI works to improve the alignment of maritime spatial planning, strengthen and streamline management processes, and enhance coordination between sectoral interests. By fostering collaboration at the basin level, the initiative aims to enable the optimal and sustainable use of our shared sea while protecting and improving the marine ecosystem of the Greater North Sea.
Working Tracks
The participating countries set up working tracks to enhance cooperation on a technical
level and specify steps to be taken. For now, five voluntary working tracks have been
established, focusing on the most important areas: Nature Restoration and Conservation, Multi-use, Cumulative Impacts Assessments (CIA), Long term Perspective of Fisheries,
and Knowledge Sharing.
Each working track consists of relevant experts from the countries involved, as well as possible representatives from similar regional organisations to avoid duplication of work.
To address shared challenges related to the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems in the North Sea.
To identify, and promote ways for maritime activities to share sea space use, easing conflicts and improving Greater North Sea efficiency and sustainability.
To create a shared, science‑based way to assess combined human impacts on the North Sea and support coordinated spatial planning.
To develop a shared Greater North Sea‑wide view of where and how fisheries can operate sustainably amid increasing spatial pressures.
To align data-sharing and improve associated workflow procedures between GNSBI countries for improved MSP decision making.
Events
- Theme
- Energy Transition Partnership (ETP)
- Greater North Sea Basin (GNSBI)
- Theme
- Greater North Sea Basin (GNSBI)
