In England attention has focussed on the socio-economic status of larger seaside towns, with a Government enquiry into Coastal Towns and associated research 1 , national research on seaside resorts 2 and, in the North West, research underpinning regional tourism and economic policy 3 . However, smaller and non-resort coastal communities have largely been overlooked, so in 2009 the North West Coastal Forum and 4NW commissioned research 4 to address this gap by establishing a baseline picture of the North West region's coastal communities, their socio-economic and environmental value, issues and opportunities. The research was steered by a range of stakeholder organisations. A representative sample of 47 coastal settlements was agreed with population ranging from under 500 to 705,000. 21 datasets were brought together under the themes of 'People', 'Work' and 'Place'. Analysis of the datasets led to a typology for coastal settlements which was tested with local stakeholders at area-based workshops. The four resulting typologies are: Larger Urban Areas; Maritime Towns; Working Towns by the Sea; Settlements of Choice. This typology fits with, but adds greatly to, the national picture emerging from studies of resort towns. It provides a baseline against which to measure progress and evidence-based policy guidance for each type of community identified. This is important as the national policy focus applies to only one of the diverse settlement types on the North West's coast. The results of the research have contributed to policy development at a regional 5 and local level. Similar methodology can usefully be applied to any geographic region.
The increasing intensity of human activities along our coastline (viz. the development of ports and harbours, coastal protection, land reclamation, tourism and sand/gravel extraction) has a severe impact on coastal communities and natural habitats. The EC has adopted a renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy. It aims at bringing about a high level of environmental protection, social equity and cohesion, economic prosperity and active promotion of sustainable development worldwide. There are multiple inter-linkages between the key challenges: for example between the use of renewable energy and climate change.Local and regional authorities are making efforts to use ICZM planning approaches to lead to sustainable development. A number of actions need to be implemented along the coast to improve sustainability. Therefore, it is important to know where improvements are needed. The criteria which will be developed and tested in SUSTAIN will provide the management policy tool which is most needed and currently lacking.The key objective of SUSTAIN is to have in place a fully implementable policy tool, applicable for all 22 coastal states of the EU, which will ensure that the integrated management of coastal issues will be sustainable. This entails the agreement within the project, of a set of criteria which are readily measurable and which cover both the threats of an unsustainable development and the opportunities provided by a sustainable future which faces all coastal authorities and communities throughout Europe.
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