The JPI Oceans Knowledge Hub "Cumulative Effects of Human Activities" was approved by the JPI Oceans Management Board in May 2021. The new Knowledge Hub held its kick-off and first workshop in Oslo and online on 18 and 19 November 2021.
The main objective of the Knowledge Hub is to develop guidelines and common principles on how to assess cumulative effects of human activities. There is a great demand for a common handbook/ procedure for how to implement a CEA. The development of such a guideline must be based on current research, and act as an ABC for users in how to proceed to create a CEA.
The aim of the workshop in Oslo was to constitute the Knowledge Hub and for the expert group to agree on a structure of working, timeline and first steps. In addition the chair and co-chair were elected.
"Cumulative effects assessments (CEA) are holistic evaluations of the combined effects of human activities and natural processes on the environment in a defined area. The understanding of cumulative effects (synergistic, antagonistic and/or additive effects) and how to manage the causal human activities and pressures are still underdeveloped," says newly appointed knowledge Hub coordinator Øystein Leiknes. Therefore the combination of scientific and public management knowledge is essential to arrive at a practical and useful guideline for the whole of Europe.
Read more about the Cumulative Effects of Human Activities Knowledge Hub here.
There is still a possibility for JPI Oceans Member Countries to join the Knowledge Hub, with both scientific marine experts and public marine management experts.