A UK-wide team of researchers and coastal partnerships will collaborate to research key approaches and solutions to build resilience in coastal communities.
The team, led by Professors Tim Acott (Professor in Human Geography, University of Greenwich) and Jasper Kenter (Professorial Research Fellow in Ecological Economics, Aberystwyth University) has been awarded over £2.8m by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI – through the creating opportunities, improving outcomes strategic theme), Defra (through the National Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme), ESRC, NERC, and AHRC.
The four year-long project, Transformative Research Actions for Resilient Coastal Communities (TRACC), will work with coastal communities in Mid-North Wales, the Humber Estuary (England), Lough Foyle (Northern Ireland) and the Firth of Clyde (Scotland), and lessons learned will be shared nationally through a new UK-wide ‘Resilience Assembly’.
Professor Acott said:
'Coastal communities in the UK are faced with many challenges to their resilience, from sea-level rise, flooding, and pollution, to youth emigration, ageing populations, loss of cultural heritage, and unaffordable housing. Addressing these in an inclusive, holistic, and sustainable way requires a transformation of the way research and governance work and interact.'
TRACC will bring together different forms of knowledge from diverse social groups and movements, decision-makers, researchers, and other stakeholders to design new approaches together to tackle coastal challenges and help positively shift values, goals, and paradigms towards more sustainable and resilient communities.
Professor Kenter said:
'So far, decision makers and researchers have often tackled challenges in isolation from each other. What is unique about TRACC is that we will cut across environmental, cultural, economic and social issues to get to the heart of community resilience. Coastal change is not just happening but also accelerating, and resilience means being able to adapt to that change in a sustainable way. This requires new and creative thinking, which we do will through many different innovative approaches, such as artistic performance, citizen assemblies, and integrated assessments of people’s and nature’s diverse values.'
TRACC brings together researchers from University of Greenwich, Aberystwyth University, Cardiff University, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Queen’s University Belfast, University of Glasgow, University of Portsmouth and University of Strathclyde, Natural England, NatureScot, Coastal Communities Network, Humber Nature Partnership, Clyde Marine Planning Partnership and many other local and national partners.
The Resilient UK Coastal Communities and Seas programme is part of a wider UKRI strategy called ‘Transforming Tomorrow Together’ which will see a £24.3m boost to UK environmental resilience and decision making.
