marine spatial planning conflict in Estonia

What is it about?

The paper is about how marine planning in Estonia was stalled for a lengthy period following conflicting knowledge claims, expertise and discourses over environmental, economic, social and place-based development .

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Why is it important?

The paper is important because the insights serve as a warning to planners and wind energy developer that to postpone or navigate conflict often comes with huge financial and legal costs. But more importantly, the conclusions of the paper (that conflicts that were postponed might come back to haunt planners and developers in unexpected ways) came to become a reality. In August 2018, approximately 24 months after the final marine plan was adopted, the Supreme Court of Estonia ruled against the proposed offshore wind energy plan. The Court argued that the plan did not elaborate the effects of wind farms on marine life and other developments on land.