Enhancing collaborative governance for coastal stewardship in the UK

Bradshaw, Natasha

Abstract

The UK’s extensive and diverse coastline is on the frontline of climate change and our response is challenging, because the governing system in place to manage coastal space is complex. Coastal governance lacks identity, having evolved in a fragmented manner across the land and sea. To adapt to change and protect people, property and wildlife, better governance and careful stewardship of coastal resources is needed.
The aim of this research was to review the powers and duties of existing governing bodies across the land-sea interface, and consider how to strengthen their roles to support collaborative governance and stewardship. The thesis provides unique insights into the socio-legal context for managing the UK coast: the regulatory, policy, planning and institutional framework. This was combined with a Delphi-based method which engaged a large group of experienced professionals and practitioners from across the UK, in an iterative dialogue about the current context and future direction for UK coastal governance. The results were verified through a practitioner workshop, where research participants identified actions to implement the recommendations.
A consensus was reached on the need to bring together top-down and bottom-up approaches to governance, encouraging planning and management at a scale that links people’s sense of place with the coastal ecosystem. This would be driven by a new national coastal strategy and associated coastal policy, to support institutional collaboration and encourage engagement in decision-making from the local level. Nested coastal plans with democratic accountability would fulfil a governance gap and drive integrated planning across the land-sea interface.
The thesis concludes by proposing a collaborative governance framework and route-map for coastal stewardship in the UK. It combines insights from the literature with the consensus found amongst research participants. The government’s role as a guardian of the public trust, alongside the rights and duties of public bodies and stakeholders, suggests strengthening existing and new local delivery networks based on coastal socio-ecological system units. Complete coverage and the strengthening of coastal and estuary partnerships could foster delivery through trusteeship and evolve the legal framework towards a guardianship approach. New coastal assemblies are proposed, to encourage investment in collaborative effort, and provide the coast and its communities with a stronger voice in future decision-making.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: May 4, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 3, 2023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/9450523
• Award Date: Mar 3, 2023