MSPACE Recommendations:Orkney Islands Regional Marine Plan. A report of the Marine Spatial Planning Addressing Climate Effects project.

This report provides an overview of key findings of co-developed research into how to deliver ocean climate change adaptation and mitigation across the waters surrounding Orkney Islands. We undertook detailed analysis of ocean climate change modelling to indentify oportunities for climate -resilient conservation, fisheries and aquaculture. Combined with preliminary surveys of how local stakeholders value marine space, and detailed analysis and modelling of Orkney Island's blue economy, this evidence was used as the basis of climate-resilient marine space management scenarios, co-developed as alternatives to the staus quo. We found that Orkney Islands planning stakeholders value important economic and social criteria most, but when presented with concrete alternatives to the status quo, they prefered the overall delivery of the scenario that proiritised nature adaptation. This study highlights how co-delivered reseach can accelerate the development of needed solutions for the protection of nature and people under climate change. It also reveals important insights into how public consultations on climate change adaptation policy are carried out can impact policy buy-in.