Our History

The Coastal Partnerships Network (CPN) was established to strengthen collaboration between Coastal, Estuary and Marine Partnerships (CEMPs) across the UK, and to support more coordinated approaches to coastal management.

CPN developed in response to the growing need for stronger connections between locally led coastal partnerships operating in different locations, often facing similar challenges but historically working in isolation. As pressures on the coast have grown - including climate change, coastal erosion, sea level rise, biodiversity loss and competing demands for coastal space - the value of sharing experience and aligning approaches across regions has become increasingly important.

Over time, Coastal, Estuary and Marine Partnerships (CEMPs) have emerged in more than 50 locations around the UK coastline, each bringing together local stakeholders, expertise and delivery capacity to address coastal issues at a local scale. While these partnerships are well placed to respond to local priorities, the absence of a coordinated national network has limited opportunities for shared learning and consistency of approach.

CPN was therefore formed to provide a more structured way for these partnerships to connect, exchange knowledge and develop a stronger collective voice on shared coastal challenges. It also supports improved alignment between local partnership activity and national policy direction, helping to ensure that experience from the coast informs wider strategic thinking.

The creation of CPN reflects a wider recognition that effective coastal management requires collaboration across administrative boundaries and governance levels, supported by stronger communication and shared learning between those working directly in coastal places.

In November 2020, we opened a consultation survey to gain the views of UK Coastal Partnerships on the direction of the CPN. This included gathering opinions on current collaborations, opportunities and our three proposed service areas:

1. Networking, Advocacy and Communications
2. Learning & Development
3. Collaborative Projects and Partnership Development

A summary of the findings can be read in our Consultation Report.