Applying risk-based approaches to implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in the North-East Atlantic: Learning lessons and moving forward

Risk-based Approaches (RBA) are increasingly playing an explicit and important role in a number of environmental regulations across Europe and globally. In this paper, the authors summarise a generic RBA developed for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and its application to two descriptors of Good Environmental Status (GES) for marine waters, Non-Indigenous Species and Underwater Energy and Noise (Descriptors 2 and 11).