The black sea and blue energy: Challenges, opportunities and the role of the European union

Abstract

The Black Sea is enormously valuable from different perspectives: economic, political, social, environmental, and strategic. Various sources of marine renewable energies can offer successful answers to some specific challenges in this basin. Therefore, the Black Sea needs a regional, or at least sub-regional, approach. Despite that the EU has undertaken different initiatives, there is room for improving the consistency of its actions. The EU should identify all the aspects in which it can help to pave the way and strive to achieve maximum coherence between its strategies, thereby maximising their effectiveness. Blue growth and blue energy should play a greater role in the European Union’s projections and initiatives for all the sea basins within its scope, particularly that of the Black Sea. This chapter has been written within the framework of the following research projects: “NETwork of experts on the Legal aspects of MARitime SAFEty and security (www.marsafenet.org), awarded by the European Union, COST Action IS1105 (Working Group IV, “Protection of Fragile and Semi-Enclosed Seas”); “Alianza Público-Privada en la Cooperación para el Desarrollo en el Sector Pesquero: Las Empresas Pesqueras Españolas en los Países en Desarrollo” [Public-Private Partnership in Cooperation for Development in the Fisheries Sector: The Spanish fishing companies in Developing Countries], awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (DER 2013-45995-R); “Actores económicos internacionales y derechos humanos. Especial relevancia para España” [International Economic Actors and Human Rights. Particular relevance for Spain], awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (DER2014-55484-P); and “Nuevos escenarios jurídicos marítimo-pesqueros y la protección de las gentes del mar” [“New legal scenarios in the maritime and fisheries sector and the protection of seafarers”] (Network of Excellence), awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (DER2015-70965-REDT).