NIVA Denmark has been tasked by the Ministry of Environment to conduct an analysis of the cumulative impacts of human activities on the ecosystems in Danish waters. These analyses are commissioned as part of the Ministry’s Initial Analysis (IA) under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), expected to be completed in 2024. Building upon data and tools developed in the earlier ECOMAR project (funded by the VELUX Foundation from 2018 to 2021), the analyses will incorporate updated elements, such as a hierarchical framework for ecosystems and an ecosystem list aligned with the MSFD.

The project will introduce a novel approach by evaluating the evolution of both ‘traditional’ pressures (pollution, fishing, etc.) and ’emerging’ pressures (marine litter, non-indigenous species, etc.), along with climate change impacts. This assessment will be based on a baseline period (2016-2020) and two future scenarios (2030 and 2050). For detailed information on data, methods, and scenarios, refer to Andersen et al. (2023). The final report to the Ministry of Environment will be made available on NIVA Denmark’s website in early 2024, and the results will be presented at the Marine Research Meeting in Denmark on January 23-25, 2024.

For further information, please contact Research Director Jesper H. Andersen (jha@niva-dk.dk).