The Crown Estate owns over half the UK's foreshore, its tidal and estuary beds and the seabed out to the 12 mile territorial limit, so it is well placed to appreciate the competing global imperatives of nature conservation and environmental protection on the one hand and those of development for both commercial and leisure purposes on the other.

A presentation on Integrated Coastal Zone Mapping opened the conference, with John Pepper of the UK Hydrographic Office discussing the Treasury funded collaborative venture underway between UKHO, Ordinance Survey and British Geological Survey to integrate terrestrial and coastal data to provide a standard, common geographical reference in a consistent framework which end users can readily access as a tool for integrated management of the coastal zone. The ICZ Map (website: www.ICZMap. com) will deliver 'joined-up coastal geography' and support the European Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) strategy.

Graham Rabbitts, until recently Environment Manager at Associated British Ports and now an independent consultant teamed with Anthony King of Heriot-Watt University to examine the concept that current approaches to environmental planning can actually work against sustainability by preserving local features at a cost to global conservation.

With global warming the single biggest threat to the environment and global security, a global strategic approach supported by Governments must develop a methodology for taking tough but unavoidable decisions which would intend to minimise local damage while maximising strategic gain globally.

The European Union has spent a decade developing the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive, which was politically agreed last year and must be implemented by 21 July 2004. Helen Bryon, the RSPB's Planning Policy Officer, explained how the SEA Directive would provide strategic direction and incorporate environmental considerations into the assessment of major policies, plans and programmes.

For the maritime community, coastal shoreline and estuary management plans as well as plans and programmes for the development of offshore renewable energy should all benefit from the transparency of regulations which will again aim to look beyond local concerns in the broader global interest.

Rob Ellis of EDRO Research Ltd placed the fast developing field of offshore renewable energy in the context of climate change, global warming and the increasing cost of extracting remaining fossil fuel resources.

An interesting and goodhumoured joust saw RSPB Senior Policy officer Duncan Huggett prove a tough act to follow as he urged that environmental costs be addressed in planning port developments and that efficiency be maximised in existing facilities. The ABP's new Environment Manager, Peter Barham, was up to the task, emphasising the substantive agreement between himself and Huggett on most issues while arguing that development can actually contribute to long-term environmental objectives.

MJ Information No: 16731