In January 2025, 800 coastal and marine professionals gathered in London (and online) for the 32nd Coastal Futures Conference. There are only five years left until 2030, a year with many targets, aims and ambitions – including the UK Government’s goal of 50 GW offshore wind goal and global goal of protecting 30% of UK seas. This conference was a chance to reflect on progress made, discuss the path to 2030, and ask some of the tougher questions: ‘can we actually do it?’ and ‘what happens if we don’t?’
Ministerial Announcements
In her opening address at the Royal Geographic Society, Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding, addressed what has been one of the biggest barriers to the expansion of offshore wind: finding ecologically effective measures to compensate for the adverse environmental impacts of development.
To overcome this barrier, the Minister said that Defra would designate new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and extend existing ones to balance the growth of offshore wind with the protection of marine biodiversity.
Following the Minister’s opening address the sessions got underway, with over 40 speakers discussing land-sea interactions, sustainable blue economy, international best practice, ocean stewardship, the future of fishing, nature restoration and much more. With five years left until 2030, we have picked out ‘five steps forward’ that emerged from the sessions, panel discussions and corridor conversations at the Coastal Futures 2025 conference.
1) Embrace Systems Thinking
A central theme at the conference was the need to embrace systems thinking, an approach which addresses problems by recognising their interconnectedness. Mel Austen (University of Plymouth) explained that ‘systems thinking’ is more of a mindset than a prescribed practice. She suggested that it was about including multiple views, from multiple disciplines and at multiples scales. Brendan Bromwich (Mott MacDonald) highlighted how mapping of these systems is a great way of actively engaging people and uncovering a range of different views, especially those whose voices may not be heard often. Lucy Greenhill (Howell Marine Consulting) urged the audience to look beyond Government and industry and to the people and communities affected, to include as many voices as possible, and at the right time.
2) Collaborate and Participate
The call for more collaboration and greater participation rang loud and clear throughout the Royal Geographic Society’s maze of rooms and corridors. In the main auditorium, Diana Pound (Dialogue Matters) stressed the importance of participatory engagement in marine management, explaining that when local communities are actively involved in decision-making, solutions are more effective and better received.
In the Sunley Room, Abigail Crosby’s poster showcased how collaboration was building ocean stewardship in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and Dr Daryl Burdon’s project championed using participatory mapping to ‘sea the value’ of marine restoration initiatives.
In the Map Room you would have found delegates experiencing collaboration and participation first hand, as they played the Marine Spatial Planning Challenge, hosted by Paul Gilliland (Marine Management Organisation) and Rhona Fairgrieve (AtkinsRéalis). Each player, representing a different sector, was given a list of objectives, and it was up to the marine planner, perhaps the delegate with the toughest role, to accept or reject their proposals. The room was buzzing with excitement, as players quickly started scheming, collaborating and lobbying. The game wrapped up with the players reflecting on what they had learnt from the experience. As soon as it ended, they transitioned back to their real-life roles, immediately resuming their discussions and collaborations with a fresh perspective.
3) Plan Strategically
This year, with its own dedicated session, the ‘future of fishing’ was put under the spotlight, as speakers explored the impact that energy, climate, and nature recovery targets are having on fisheries. Claire Szostek (Plymouth Marine Laboratory) explored the socio-economic implications of offshore wind on fisheries, which found that the main response was to fish elsewhere. Mike Cohen (National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations) cautioned that fisheries cannot relocate themselves indefinitely, and that without a plan or strategy for managing the sector, it would be like setting a course for failure.
4) Communicate Clearly
Communication emerged as a central theme during the fisheries session, sparked by a flurry of questions from an engaged audience. Ashley Mullenger, also known as ‘the female fisherman’ on her social media channels, reflected that the public really do care about fish, but often the way issues are communicated is too complex. She stressed the need for clearer, more engaging language to bridge the gap between industry and public understanding. Rob Clarke (AIFCA) reinforced this point and highlighted the importance of sharing positive narratives, noting that while England’s coastal fisheries are some of the best managed in the world, their success is often not communicated.
In what felt like a direct response to this call for better storytelling, delegates were invited to visit the Drayson room, where a striking photo exhibition provided a powerful visual narrative of the lives of fishing families and the challenges they face.
5) Keep People at the Heart of Change
More than anything, Coastal Futures 2025 was about people—the scientists, policymakers, fishers, conservationists, and coastal communities working together to shape the future of our seas. Across the sessions, workshops, and lively corridor conversations, one message, as Bob Earll Award recipient Ffion Mitchell-Langford (Marine Conservation Society) put it, stood out: “we won’t achieve our 2030 targets or sustainable conservation outcomes without revolutionising how we work with people.” Whether it’s offshore wind, managing fisheries, or restoring nature, solutions must be built with and for those who depend on the ocean. With just five years left until 2030, the focus must now be on putting people at the centre of decision-making, because in the end, it’s people—fishermen, scientists, policymakers, and local communities—who will determine the future of our oceans.