Making the most of the UK’s coasts

The Blue New Deal initiative calls for a transformation of the UK’s approach to managing its wealth of marine assets, which the NEF says have been put under pressure over the years due to a lack of social and environmental goals. The project will show how coastal areas can be revitalised to deliver good jobs and economic sustainability for coastal communities in the future.

“Over the next year, we will work with actors across the UK to identify solutions and practical measures to improve the health of our marine and coastal ecosystems,” said Fernanda Balata, project lead, coastal and marine environment, NEF.

This new initiative identifies five key policy areas that offer the opportunity to respond to the different socio-economic and environmental challenges currently faced by the UK. These including renewable energy, innovative coastal management and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.

“There are great examples of innovative and sustainable approaches already happening around the UK coast – we need to put in place the incentives and policies to encourage action on a national scale,” she added.

One such project is Tidal Energy Ltd, a new tidal energy initiative to create jobs and power 10,000 homes by 2017.

The NEF is an independent think tank, specialising in renewable and sustainable solutions that work for the environment.

By Rachael Doyle