Coastal Capacity Building
What is Coastal Capacity Building?
Coastal capacity is defined as where ‘collaboration and co-production is enabled to encourage co-ordinated action, locally within our communities, nationally, and cross border, to respond to changing needs and conditions as the pressures on our coasts and seas increase.’
The aim is to ensure that those living and working by the sea can understand, shape and influence decisions that affect their environment, livelihoods, and wellbeing.
This work is essential because research has identified several barriers in coastal communities, such as poor communication and a feeling of not being listened to; a lack of legacy or follow-up activity following projects; and people within coastal communities not feeling that they have the knowledge or capacity to play a role in marine and coastal issues.
What the Coastal Capacity Building Working Group Does
The Coastal Capacity Building theme aims to develop strong, informed and connected coastal communities that can actively support resilient marine ecosystems. Its objectives include:
- enabling people and organisations to shape the delivery of national and local priorities
- improving access to reliable data and information so that communities can participate in decision making.
- fostering effective and well financed collaborative networks.
- developing a skilled and diverse coastal workforce with clear employment and training opportunities
- strengthening local capacity to deliver actions that support nature recovery and climate resilience.
Previous work to increase coastal capacity has mainly been through the funding of a range of projects and posts to build capacity for marine priorities such as ocean literacy, marine energy engagement, coastal fora working on water quality and restoration projects, citizen science and schools and college outreach.
Most recently funding has been provided to employ three Coastal Co-ordinators in South, West and North Wales, whose work could include providing a regional or local point of contact, joining up policy areas to address marine issues, facilitating deliberative engagement and supporting evidence collection/sharing and training.
Coastal Coordinators
Through funding from Welsh Government, three pilot Coastal Coordinator posts have been established across Wales. They will work to strengthen the local delivery of Welsh marine policy, to build inclusive capacity within coastal communities, to develop a skilled, diverse workforce and effective collaborative networks. They will work towards the goal of clean, healthy, safe, productive, and biologically diverse Welsh coasts and seas.
Coastal Coordinators will be hosted by established local partnerships and organisations:
- Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum CIC
- Severn Estuary Partnership
- Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau SAC Partnership
Their primary function is to act as a vital link, connecting local communities and businesses with national marine priorities.
Working with partners, each Coordinator will focus on place-based engagement to:
- Strengthen ocean literacy to enhance understanding of the marine environment using the Y Môr a Ni framework.
- Empower underrepresented voices in coastal decision-making, such as minority ethnic communities, young people, and residents in areas of socio-economic deprivation.
- Support the integration of marine priorities for marine protected areas and marine planning into local governance, climate adaptation and planning.
Contact
Contact details for the coastal coordinators are available on the Contact page.
