The Story of The Baltic Sea2Land Journey

Navigating Together: How Baltic Sea2Land Guided Coastal Governance Toward Sustainability

Coastal regions across the Baltic Sea are vibrant spaces where land and sea meet – and where planning challenges multiply. Overlapping jurisdictions, fragmented responsibilities and competing interests often make integrated development feel like steering a ship through stormy waters.  It’s like trying to steer a Greek trireme – where each stakeholder is a rower, a deckhand, or a helmsman. Everyone has a role, but unless we row in sync, we risk drifting off course.

To meet the ambitions of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Blue Economy, we need governance that brings diverse voices together and fosters sustainable coastal development. “It became clear that something more was needed – something that could help us navigate the growing complexity of planning at the land-sea interface,” says leaders of the project.

That’s why the Baltic Sea2Land project was launched: to create practical solutions for better coordination at the land-sea interface (LSI). Land-sea interactions are growing in complexity. Energy transitions, tourism ecosystem protection and blue economy development all compete for space. Jurisdictions overlap. Responsibilities are fragmented. Stakeholder influence was often unbalanced. Without integrated planning, we risk inefficiency, conflicts and missed opportunities.

Our answer?  – The Sea2Land Navigator

The Navigator is more than a tool – it’s a co-created platform built on real-world experience. It combines three powerful components. The Sea2Land Navigator is a tailored platform designed to support public authorities and blue economy stakeholders in navigating the complexity of coastal development.

• Data Hub – access spatial data, interactive maps, and visualizations for informed decisions.
• Knowledge Hub – explore terms, methods, and best practices for integrated planning.
• Multi-Level Governance (MLG) Tool – practical tasks and guidance for collaboration across levels and sectors.

Together these components help planners balance environmental, social and economic interests, and fosters collaboration across levels and sectors during various planning stages.

Pilots: Learning by Doing

Our journey was shaped by pilots across six countries, each testing new approaches:

• Germany (Fehmarn) – developed a roadmap for energy self-sufficiency and improved stakeholder engagement in renewable energy planning. “Energy transitions are marathons, not sprints.”
• Estonia (Saaremaa) – co-created a thematic coastal access plan with local communities, proving that “Transparency and inclusion are not just ideals– they are practical tools for better planning. The beauty of this project is its inclusiveness. Fishermen, tourism operators, and planners now sit at the same table.”
• Poland – promoted “energy citizenship” through workshops and interviews, building local ownership of offshore wind projects. “Baltic Sea2Land showed that borders don’t matter when it comes to protecting our coasts. Cooperation is the real game-changer.”
• Latvia – linked regional and national planning through a Coastal Thematic Plan and evaluation of the National Coastal Plan. “For years, we struggled with fragmented planning. The Navigator finally gives us a common language and tools to work together.”
• Finland – integrated blue-green infrastructure into MSP and invited students to shape future planning strategies. “The future of planning is already here – and it’s collaborative, creative, and cross-generational.”
• Lithuania (Klaipeda) – developed monitoring and evaluation systems for MSP, informing the Blue Data Dashboard now featured in the Navigator.

These pilots were not isolated – they were connected through shared tools, peer learning and a common commitment to better governance.

Impact and What’s Next

The Sea2Land Navigator is now live (explore it here) and recognized as a model for transnational cooperation. It supports planners in navigating complex LSI challenges and will continue evolving through new Interreg BSR platform projects like SEABAS and Baltic PlaNet.

To ensure lasting impact, we are launching a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to build capacity and share lessons learned. The Navigator will remain a resource for those charting the future of maritime spatial planning in a changing world.

Keywords from the Navigator team

For Stakeholders: Be bold and use the Navigator!

For planners: Be a game changer and use the Navigator!

For policy makers: Improve policy and use the Navigator!

Sea2Land Navigator – Your Compass to Unlock Planning Insights!

Video about the use of the Sea2Land Navigator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-xxyhFfz-o

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