The overall objective of HOTSPOT is to generate the environmental and socio-economic knowledge and expertise that can form the basis for the sustainable development of coastal communities, and to use this knowledge to develop management, mitigation and adaptation strategies at the different levels of the society.
The main objectives of the HOTSPOT project are:
Mapping of the effects to improve management
- To estimate the ecological effects of key contaminants and their mixtures on the base of the marine food-web and their bioaccumulation potential.
- To predict the effects of multiple environmental stressors – particularly pollution and climate change – for the marine ecosystem and the services that it provides.
- To demonstrate the effects of coastal development for the marine environment and the necessity to conduct environmental impact assessments.
- To evaluate the effects of multiple stressors and infrastructure projects on the socio-economy of the coastal communities through their effects on fisheries.
Building of competences and collaborations
- To build up the skills and competences of environmental professionals, academics and managers on marine pollution and management of marine environment, and raise awareness of environmental degradation in coastal communities.
- To improve the adaptation capacity of coastal communities by focusing on economic security and alternative livelihoods.
- To establish a long-term research partnership between Denmark and Ghana.