Contributing authors: Hakan Tundn, Marie Kvarnstrom, Hannele llvessalo-Lax, Johnny Berglund, Hans-Goran Lax, Tero Mustonen, Anders Hojgard Petersen, Preben Clausen, Jorgen L.S. Hansen, Eva Roth, Lars Gamfeldt, Pia Norling, Jan Sorensen, Johanna Roto, Susanne Vavare, Michael Koie Poulsen. Habitat degradation, eutrophication, fishing and climate change are examples of drivers of change that affect Nordic coastal habitats. Policy and governance are principal indirect drivers that both could lead to decline and deteriorations, as well as improvements and recoveries of Nordic marine environments. Such changes might lead to increased oxygen depletion in many areas, leakage of nutrients, changed trophic structures and spread of pathogens (Diaz & Rosenberg, 2008; Gregory et al.,