@article{Weise2019,

title = {Wetland extent tools for SDG 6.6.1 reporting from the Satellite-based Wetland Observation Service (SWOS)},

author = {K. Weise and R. Höfer and J. Franke and A. Guelmami and W. Simonson and J. Muro and B. O'Connor and A. Strauch and S. Flink and J. Eberle and E. Mino and S. Thulin and P. Philipson and E. van Valkengoed and J. Truckenbrodt and F. Zander and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and C. Schröder and F. Thinfeld and E. Fitoka and E. Scott and M. Ling and M. Schwarz and I. Kunz and G. Thürmer and A. Plasmeijer and L. Hilarides},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2020.111892},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2020.111892},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-09-15},

journal = {Remote Sensing of Environment},

volume = {247},

abstract = {Wetlands are the most fragile and threatened ecosystems worldwide, and also one of the most rapidly declining. At the same time wetlands are typically biodiversity hotspots and provide a range of valuable ecosystem services, such as water supply and purification, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and carbon sequestration.



Pressures on wetlands are likely to further intensify in the coming decades due to increased global demand for land and water, and due to climate change. Stakeholders at all levels of governance have to be involved to slow, stop and reverse these processes. However, the information they need on wetland extent, their ecological character, and their ecosystem services is often scattered, sparse and difficult to find and access.



The freely available Sentinel satellite data of the Copernicus Programme, as well as the Landsat archive, provide a comprehensive basis to map and inventory wetland areas (extent), to derive information on the ecological status, as well as long- and short-term trends in wetland characteristics. However, making use of these Earth Observation (EO) resources for robust and standardized wetland monitoring requires expert knowledge on often complex data processing techniques, which impedes practical implementation. In this respect, the Satellite-based Wetland Observation Service (SWOS), a Horizon 2020 funded project (www.swos-service.eu) has developed and made disseminated monitoring approaches based on EO data, specifically designed for less experienced satellite data users.



The SWOS monitoring tools aim at assisting countries in conducting national wetland inventories for their Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) reporting and monitoring obligations, and additionally facilitates other monitoring obligations such as those required by the Ramsar Convention and supports decision-making in local conservation activities. The four main components of the SWOS approach are: map and indicator production; software development; capacity building; and initializing the GEO Wetlands Community Portal. Wetland managers and data analysists from more than fifty wetland sites and river basins across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa investigated the benefits and limitations of this EO-based wetland mapping and monitoring approach.



We describe research that applies the SWOS tools to test their potential for the mapping of wetlands in a case study based in Albania, and show its effectiveness to derive metrics relevant to the monitoring of SDG indicator 6.6.1.},

keywords = {Climate Change, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, SWOS, Wetlands},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Rodríguez-Rodríguez2016d,

title = {Achieving Blue Growth through maritime spatial planning: Offshore wind energy optimization and biodiversity conservation in Spain},

author = {D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and D. Abdul-Malak and T. Soukissian and A. Sánchez-Espinosa},

url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305824278_Achieving_Blue_Growth_through_maritime_spatial_planning_Offshore_wind_energy_optimization_and_biodiversity_conservation_in_Spain},

doi = {10.1016/j.marpol.2016.07.022},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-11-01},

journal = {Marine Policy},

volume = {73},

pages = {8-14},

abstract = {Spain has a high potential for renewable energy production, being the world's third country by installed on-shore wind power. However, it has not yet fully developed its renewable energy production capacity, with no commercial offshore wind production to date, and remains highly dependent on fossil fuel imports. The country is also one of Europe's most biodiverse, on land and at sea. This study spatially assesses the country's offshore wind energy potential by incorporating the newly designated marine protected areas (MPAs) to the official Spanish strategic environmental assessment for the installation of offshore windfarms (SEA). It also identifies optimal areas for offshore windfarm development according to key physical variables such as wind speed, depth and substrate type. It finally assesses real commercial windfarm projects against current environmental constraints. The results show that nearly 50% of the whole area within 24 nm from the Spanish coast could be suitable for offshore windfarm development at the planning phase. However, only 0.7% of that area is optimal for wind energy production with current fixed turbine technology. Nevertheless, either area would allow Spain to meet its national targets of 750 MW of ocean power capacity installed by 2020 under adequate local wind conditions. Over 88% of all commercial windfarm project area is within the SEA's Exclusion zone, thus unfeasible under current circumstances. Technological breakthroughs like floating turbines may soon make the optimal windfarm area (OWA) less restrictive and reduce current environmental impacts of marine windfarms within a truly sustainable Blue Growth.},

keywords = {Biodiversity, Blue Growth, Climate Change, Conservation and management, Pressures},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Rodríguez-Rodrígueza2015,

title = {Cumulative pressures and low protection: a concerning blend for Mediterranean MPAs},

author = {D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and C. Schröder and D. Abdul-Malak and J. Rodríguez},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15300540},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.039},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-12-01},

journal = {Marine Pollution Bulletin},

volume = {101},

pages = {288-295},

abstract = {This study classifies Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs) according to the combined result of pressure level and protection. Six major marine environment pressures were considered: pressures from fish farms, fishing, marine litter, pressures from marinas, pollution from maritime transport, and climate change. MPA protection was assessed through legal protection and management effort. Most MPA area in the Mediterranean is under relatively high pressure level and afforded low protection. Inshore areas show higher pressure levels. Five marine ecoregions, nine countries and nineteen MPA designation categories have over 50% of their MPA area under major concern. The mean number of cumulative pressures occurring in priority MPAs ranges between three and four, although the mean combined intensity of those pressures is low. However, these figures are most likely underestimated, especially for the southern Mediterranean. The most concerning pressures to MPAs regarding extent and intensity were: climate change, fishing and pollution from maritime transport.},

keywords = {Climate Change, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}