Coastal change has emerged as a strong theme for CoastNet in the last three years, and it encompasses our work in the following projects and programmes:
Adaptation to climate change
CoastNet has partnered with Government Office East of England and others in the Coastal Initiative which seeks to find policy solutions to reconcile the need for economic growth in coastal settlements with the expected impacts of climate change through increased erosion and flood risk from rising sea levels (see http://imcore.wordpress.com/partners/east-of-england/). CoastNet's role has focused on community engagement and mediation. Through a succession of activities working with communities we have discovered the following:
Through these experiences we have recognised that there is a huge knowledge gap between the public and civil servants regarding many aspects of the coast, and that the ad hoc consultations typical of the policy-making process do not address this gap. A wider effort is required to improve public understanding. CoastNet’s response to this has been the development of a conceptual framework and practical resources to promote ‘Coastal Literacy’.
Coastal Literacy
Coastal Literacy is CoastNet's response to the knowledge gap between the public and civil servants with regard to coastal management.
Coastal Literacy aims to equip the public, politicians and technicians with the knowledge and understanding required to enable an active and meaningful participation in coastal decision-making. This will be good for democracy, good for decision-making, and empowering for communities.
A coastal-literate person:
Follow the progress of Coastal Literacy as we work to develop its framework of Concepts at http://coastalliteracy.wordpress.com/.
Coastal and Marine All Party Parliamentary Group
CoastNet have supported this group since its formation in 2006. Its members have retained a strong interest in flood and coastal eroson risk management policy, especially from the perspective of social justice. The group and its Members have been instrumental in the development of UK Government policies on adaptation to coastal change. The group has a close link, through its membership, with the National Voice for Coastal Communities Forum (see below).
All Party Parliamentary Groups are permitted in the UK Parliament as a mechanism for cross-party debate on any matter of interest to MPs. The groups have minimum membership requirements of 20 Parliamentarians (MPs or Peers). MPs are Members of the House of Commons, and Peers are Members of the House of Lords. See http://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/apg/for more information. It is common practice for special interest organisations to support the formation and operation of All Party Groups by providing secretariat services. All Party Groups can operate in many different ways to influence the work of the Houses of Parliament including holding debates, undertaking inquiries, study visits, and commissioning reports.
The Coastal and Marine APPG is formally registered with the Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards and as an All Party Parliamentary Group has achieved a higher standard of cross-party support than All Party Groups. The Register entry for the group can be viewed at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/coastal-and-marine.htm
Information on the recent activities of the group can be found at www.coastnet.org.uk/appg.
National Voice for Coastal Communities Forum
In response to the second round of shoreline management planning in the UK, community action groups have formed in places where it is proposed that coastal defences will no longer be maintained. These groups gravitated towards the Coastal and Marine All Party Parliamentary Group, as the only national forum to which they had access. In 2009 CoastNet advised them to come together in their own national group, which they did as the National Voice for Coastal Communities Forum, launched at the Coastal Communities at Risk Conference in July that year (see conference briefing at http://www.coastnet.org.uk/networks/appg/coastal-communities-risk-appg-conference-july-2009). CoastNet has supported the group to develop its own ‘rules of engagement’ which set out its lobbying style (which is one of constructive engagement). Through workshops facilitated by CoastNet the group has identified common issues of concern and has communicated these to government.
The principle benefit of the group is that it enables otherwise disparate groups to speak with one voice to government and its agencies on a range of issues. This is a real benefit to government as well, lessening the resources required for community engagement on controversial policy issues. The group has experienced these benefits first hand having gained access to government, to the Environment Agency and to Natural England at senior levels.
CoastNet continues to support the group, on request, helping to build its capacity, securing resources and providing policy advice. Defra and CoastNet provided some financial support to assist the establishment of the group.
The group maintains its own website at http://www.nvcc.org.uk/
The Socio-economic context for Coastal Change
As Board members of the East of England Coastal Initiative CoastNet recognised the importance of a much deeper understanding of the socio-economic context for adaptation. Research reports were commissioned by the Coastal Initiative Board, and links can be found to them at http://imcore.wordpress.com/partners/east-of-england/.
CoastNet recognised a wider need for this approach and undertook its own analysis of socio-economic data for England. The report can be viewed here http://www.coastnet.org.uk/sites/default/files/CoastNet Research Report-The Case for Coastal Renewal-25.11.10-1.pdf . It demonstrates that socio-economic deprivation is more prevalent at the coast than inland.
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