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Project properties |
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| Title | Stichting de Noordzee: Nature-friendly decommissioning |
| Group | Marine Animal Ecology |
| Project type | internship |
| Credits | 24-39 |
| Supervisor(s) | Pim Somers, stichting de Noordzee
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| Examiner(s) | Tinka Murk, Reindert Nijland, Ronald Osinga, Rosa van der Ven, Diede Maas |
| Contact info | p.somers@noordzee.nl
mae.education@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2024/09/01 |
| End date | 2025/09/01 |
| Description | Contact mae.education@wur.nl for more information.
The OSPAR Quality Status Report (2023) reaffirms that the North Sea's ecosystem is in poor condition. Current legislation mandates that all man-made structures at sea (excluding some pipelines and cables) must be entirely removed at the end of their lifespan. Even nature-enhancing objects, which were designed for that purpose and installed at extra cost, will, under current legislation, need to be removed together with the infrastructure where they were installed - even if they have been successful and have actually developed a nature-enhancing effect. To achieve a good environmental status, it is crucial to protect existing nature and ensure that investments in nature-enhancing measures are not undone unless they fail to deliver the desired effects. The Nature-Friendly Decommissioning project focuses on defining the ecological value of man-made structures in the North Sea and assessing the potential ecological loss from their removal. The internship will focus on further developing ecological criteria to assess the potential added ecological value of offshore wind turbines and oil and gas platforms. This evaluation will consider not only the species living on the structures themselves but also the broader benefits to the surrounding ecosystem. Key questions include: How are these systems ecologically connected? Do these structures merely attract species, or do they also enhance overall productivity? The project provides science-based input on the decommissioning of offshore structures to the relevant Dutch government ministries. As an intern, you will directly engage with policy topics and collaborate with various stakeholders. We are looking for an intern who can independently become an expert on the ecological considerations of decommissioning and wants to experience working with stakeholders in the Dutch policy network. A small internship stipend is provided. |
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