ABSTRACT
Coasts around the world face multiple challenges, not least climate change in the form of sea level rise, and with possible increases in the frequency and severity of storms and floods and ocean acidification. At the same time, increasing population pressures and migration from inland to coastal regions means that coastal populations will necessarily expand into the future, with more people and economic assets exposed and potentially vulnerable to these pressures. Managing climate pressures on the coastal zone will be more than a wicked problem and will require great innovation and some hard decisions. Current management activities take place in multiple contexts, and adaptation can be hard or soft, policy based, or driven by incentives or reform. However, it is the people and sectors with vested interests, values, and lifestyles within the coastal zone that are central to future coastal planning. This chapter investigates the role public participation plays in the context of climate change impacts on the coast. First, we present some of the key scientific predictions for the coast and then outline the core concepts and issues around public participation in coastal contexts. Using examples from across the world, we then explore the relationship between coastal management, climate change and stakeholder involvement.
