Multi-criteria decision analysis of regional stakeholder preferences for selection of alternative spatial management scenarios in support of climate change adaptation and mitigation in the UK. A report of the Marine Spatial Planning Addressing Climate Effects project.

The Marine Spatial Planning Addressing Climate Effects project (MSPACE) is a highly integrated, multidisciplinary and co-created research initiative, driving forward capability in designing and implementing economically viable and socially acceptable climate-smart marine spatial plans (MSP). MSPACE was designed to support the ambitions of government policy, the industrial sector, and communities to ensure sustainable management of marine resources and improve the marine environment for the next generation. We co-created and explored with end-users alternative spatial management scenarios through which changes in marine space uses could enable climate change adaptation (and mitigation) for nature and people. Scenarios focused on actioning opportunities for climate-resilient conservation, fisheries and aquaculture, within the broader lens of marine planning and the many objectives for use of marine space held within the four MSPACE case study planning regions, as well as the wider push to deliver net zero in the UK. WP4.2 focused on understanding key stakeholders' preferences in each of the case study planning regions: East Marine Plan (England), Marine Plan for Northern Ireland, Welsh Marine Plan and Orkney Islands Marine Plan (Scotland). We used multi-criteria decision analysis to (i) assess the performance of each alternative spatial management scenarios against a range of environmental, economic and social criteria and (ii) elicit stakeholders' preferences regarding those scenarions. For each case-study planning regions individual and overall ranking of the four alternative spatial management scenarios suggests buy-in toward climate change adaptation (and mitigation) through planning.