Presentation short abstract

This paper reflects on the uses of MPAs in the European waters through the lenses of power management (De Santo 2019) in a comparison between two wind farm projects in the North Sea and the Mediterranean that are built and projected to sit next to MPAs and in highly sensitive biodiversity areas.

Presentation long abstract

This paper reflects on the uses of MPAs in the European continent and waters through the lenses of power management (De Santo 2019) in a comparative analysis of a North Sea and Mediterranean case studies. In particular, the paper observes two wind farm cases that are built and projected to sit next to MPAs and in highly sensitive biodiversity areas. The first case is the Dogger Bank area where the largest windfarm in the world is being built and is already operative; the second case is the projected GREGAL and TRAMUNTANA wind farms, located in the North East of Menorca (Illes Balears, Spain) and off the Golf de Roses (Spain). The Mediterranean Gregal and Tramuntana windfarm projects base their discourses of legitimation on the Northern European wind farms like the Dogger Bank’s. However, there is much discussion for the Mediterranean projects about the environmental harm that these would inflict. The paper uses Ben Smith’s fictional novel "Doggerland" as a starting discussion point and relates it to contemporary policy and economic discourses.

While those who back the windfarm projects in the Mediterranean use the Northern Europe already implemented wind farms as reference points, the most skeptical and entangled perspectives doubt about these capitalist practices and offer resistance in their belated decisions. As they arrive late and face a multiperspective more critical with the mostly economic benefits of the projects, the Mediterranean offshore wind farms might be stopped on time to prevent major environmental harm, discrediting the Northern European discourses and practices.