Centre for Sustainable Coasts

Summary

Who we are and what we do - a summary

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The Centre for Sustainable Coasts (CSC) is the focus for marine policy research at the Scottish Marine Institute.

Our interest is in the application of innovative research to address the challenges that face marine social and ecological systems.

We are focused on strengthening the links between science, society, and policy at local, national, and international scales and supporting efforts to manage and conserve coastal and marine resources and systems.

CSC is a collaboration between the Scottish Marine Institute and the James Hutton Institute.

Our aims are to...

generate policy orientated analysis and tools that deliver an ecosystem approach in coastal and marine systems
understand the pressures on coastal communities driven by climate change, new or declining resources, and recent policy demands and facilitate their ability to adapt and change
devise novel digital and social networking innovations that support coastal and marine governance
support and drive the analysis and integration of scales (global to local) into adaptive coastal management and marine planning

Projects

C-SESC projects

Current projects

Knowledge based management for European Seas (KNOWSEAS EU FP7)
How will the Marine Strategy Framework Directove deliver for pressures, environmental state and welfare in the Northern Adriatic? (under KNOWSEAS EU FP7)
Connecting Coastal Communities

Centre of Expertise Climate Change (with James Hutton Institute)

Recent projects

Effectiveness of Eco labelling in Sustainable Fisheries (EECSAF ESRC 2009-2010)

Science and Policy Integration in Coastal System Assessment (SPICOSA 2006-2010)

Ecosystem Indicators for the Barents Sea (ECOBAR Norwegian Funding Council 2009-2010)

Recent commercial and policy activity

Outlook of trends and scenarios for the social, economic, and environmental services of the South China Sea (World Bank through Global Environmental Facility 2011-12)
Scottish Marine Litter Strategy (Scottish Government 2011)

Sound Management of Marine Protected Areas (Scottish Environment Link 2010-11)

Social and Economic Objectives for a Scottish Marine Plan (Scottish Government 2009-10)

People

CSC members

	Professor Laurence Mee conducts multidisciplinary research into coupled social and ecological systems, ways of assessing the state of the marine environment and the interface between science and policy. Most of his work is on a regional sea scale, particularly Europe’s seas. Laurence is also the Director of SAMS at the Scottish Marine Institute.
	Dr Tavis Potts is a geographer who specialises in the links between institutions, regulatory frameworks, and society; green innovation and economic development; and novel approaches to marine governance and participation. An emphasis of his work is in market and civil approaches to governance and the role of social technology. His regional focus is the NE Atlantic from Scotland to the Arctic region.
	Dr Branka Valcic is an ecological economist and specialises in individual and community adaptation and the functioning and resilience of social-ecological systems. Of interest is the dynamics of feedback loops within marine social-ecological systems; individual and community decision making processes and conflict resolution.
	Dr Tim O'Higgins is an environmental scientist with a focus on regional oceans governance and the science-policy interface with an emphasis on the implementation of ecosystem based management. Tim is currently the coordinator of the EU FP7 research project KNOWSEAS.
	Ruth Brennan is a social ecologist with a focus on Scottish coastal communities, facilitation, and connecting people. Ruth is interested in the issues and influences behind conservation conflicts in coastal communities with a focus on social history and cultural influences that shape relations between humans and nature. Ruth is currently investigating conservation conflicts for a PhD at the Scottish Marine Institute.
	Karen Alexander is a postgraduate research student researching the impacts of marine renewable energy upon users of sea space, with a particular focus upon the fishing industry.
	John Bainbridge is a postgraduate research student investigating marine planning, renewable energy and community innovation.