VALMAS

The transition to NetZero is driving rapid growth in Marine Artificial Structures (MAS), alongside the decommissioning of ageing infrastructure. While essential for low-carbon energy, these developments carry significant environmental, social, and economic implications across their life cycle. There is a growing risk that efforts to tackle climate change could unintentionally worsen biodiversity loss and create wider sectoral impacts. Recognising this challenge, initiatives such as Clean Power 2030 and The Crown Estate’s Marine Delivery Route Map emphasise the need to balance clean energy expansion with nature restoration. 

VALMAS addresses this by advancing understanding of the ecological, social, and economic values of MAS and how these evolve under future scenarios. Using cutting-edge modelling, field research, and valuation approaches, the project focuses on blue carbon, fisheries, and biodiversity. It will deliver practical decision-support tools to help policymakers and industry manage trade-offs, minimise harm, and identify nature-positive opportunities within the energy transition. 

The VALMAS Vision
A just, nature-positive, and economically efficient energy transition that enhances biodiversity and safeguards ecosystem services, including fisheries and carbon sequestration.

The VALMAS Mission
To empower decision-makers with the evidence-based tools to sustainably manage, operate, and decommission MAS – balancing multiple interconnected environmental, economic, and societal priorities. 

The VALMAS Focus 

• The North Sea, with an aspiration to enable transfer to other areas 

• Priority ecosystem services; carbon, fisheries and biodiversity​ 

• All MAS, including pre-, active-, and post-decommissioning, compensatory measures, and offshore wind. 

VALMAS outcomes include: 

• A mapping and gap analysis of the evidence, stakeholder and governance landscapes, establishing a MAS Community of Practice across public, private, academic and wider community sectors. 

• A Natural Capital framework integrating changes in the economic, social and environmental values associated with different management scenarios. 

• State of the art predictive ecosystem modelling, quantifying changes in ecosystem function and services, with associated trade-offs across climate scenarios, sectors and scales under different management strategies. 

• Targeted analysis and field studies to evidence changes in blue carbon, biodiversity, contaminants and noise around structures, and to evaluate statutory compensatory measures. 

• State-of-the-art value assessments based on pluralistic and integrated valuation approaches, combining biophysical, sociocultural and monetary indicators. 

• Co-developed decision support tools which highlight the benefits and risks to nature, economy and society, supporting nature positive decision-making.