Coastal management and public participation: what about you?

There are several challenges that the Coastlines and maritime spaces face today: energy production, tourism, maritime transport, workplace, local cultures and heritage, nautical activities, climate change effects and human adaptations, wildlife modification and lost, and so forth. Together, these issues make coastal management complex and stem the need of quality dialogue and public participation.

Inspired by this issue, Surfrider Published a Booklet Public Participation: Facing Climate Emergency (2019)

Public participation

The coastal environment is the victim of its own success

Demographic changes, tourism and leisure development have largely contributed to excessive artificial development which is now threatening the coastline. To face coastal development issues, Surfrider Foundation has developed the «Coastal change and Climate change» programme.

Coastal cities sprawl, port expansion, breakwater constructions… the coastline has become increasingly urbanised, and the population is likely to double by 2050! Urgent collective action needs to be taken to build a shared vision of coastlines development and to be able to live in a healthy environment.

Climate change: Engage citizens and regulatory awareness

The climate crisis emerge issues on a global level and local level, in marine areas and the coastline. There are several environmental challenges specifically related to ocean acidification, integrated shoreline management or even coastline conservation and planning are therefore emerging. Overseas territories are particularly vulnerable to the climate emergency, specific attention is needed as well as preventative and/or adaptation actions in those marine and coastal areas. Because coastal ecosystems are under threat, Surfrider Foundation has decided to actively address this issue. The not-for-profit organization is particularly operating so that these challenges are taken into consideration in the various national and European policies. Additionally, the organisation is developing several thematic programmes seeking to include the most of problematics of climate challenges.

Marine Renewable Energies: understanding and being heard

The coexistence on the same territory of marine renewable energy production (offshore wind turbines, tidal turbines, wave energy) and people’s activities can be problematic. Dialogue and Public Participation methods provide solutions by promoting an understanding of the issues of all. This allows, ultimately, to optimize the integration of these infrastructures while respecting the territories and the issues that are dear to us.

By, giving our opinion, we give a real chance to conjugate in the future, our practices, the energic transition and the building of a better world for future generations!

This short book (French version, English one coming soon) [EMR-consultation-CoastalDefenders] offers you an insight into the energy transition and then the solution that represents marine renewable energies. It presents the framework of consultation and how we can deal with that.

Surfrider Coastal Defender team is by your side and offers you our support to make your voice heard and participate in the construction of a shared and respectful coastal environment.