United Kingdom

As an island nation, the UK has a close relationship to the coast and has made several efforts to secure a more sustainable and holistic approach to the management of the coastal zone, given the inevitability of future change. Yet coastal management approaches continue to be characterised by fragmentation across the devolved administrations and over different spatial scales; short-term planning; insecure funding; and partial policy implementation. At this juncture, we are experiencing an evolving policy landscape of the UK at all levels, including local government reforms, the introduction of the marine planning agenda at the national and regional level, and the UK's exit from the European Union. The convergence of these events means that coastal initiatives and partnerships are competing with other emerging forms of regulation for funding, time, and recognition. This is an opportune time to reflect on current practice, identify potential issues for future practice, and draw lessons from elsewhere.