Our Purpose & Priorities

Purpose
The Coastal Partnerships Network (CPN) exists to strengthen and support Coastal, Estuary and Marine Partnerships (CEMPs) by creating opportunities for collaboration, learning and influence. We work to ensure that partnerships are well connected, well supported and able to play a leading role in delivering sustainable coastal management.

By bringing partnerships together, we help share best practice, reduce duplication of effort and encourage more coordinated approaches to addressing coastal challenges at local, regional and national levels.

Priorities
Our work is guided by seven key priorities:

1. Collaboration – Building strong relationships and fostering cooperation across regions and sectors.
2. Knowledge Exchange – Sharing learning, experience and best practice within the network and beyond.
3. Professional Development – Supporting training, skills development and opportunities for professional growth.
4. Funding – Promoting funding opportunities, connecting projects and encouraging collaborative bids.
5. Innovation – Developing new approaches and supporting the co-creation of national initiatives.
6. Diversity and Inclusion – Encouraging accessibility and broad participation in coastal management.
7. Sustainability – Championing the sustainable management of coastal and estuarine environments.

Together, these priorities help strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of CEMPs, enabling them to deliver positive outcomes for people, places and nature.

To learn more about our strategic priorities and the actions we are taking to support CEMPs, read our Action Plan.

Influencing Coastal Management
CPN plays an important role in connecting local partnership experience with national policy and decision-making. We support the development of the National Framework for Coastal Coordination (NFCC), helping to ensure that local knowledge and practical experience inform national priorities, while national objectives can be effectively translated into local action.

By promoting collaboration, knowledge sharing and coordinated working, we contribute to a stronger and more connected coastal community of practice across England.

Why This Matters
England's coastline is shaped by a complex mix of environmental processes, communities, industries and governance arrangements. Delivering effective coastal management requires cooperation across organisational and geographic boundaries.

CPN helps meet this challenge by strengthening relationships, improving coordination and supporting consistent approaches to coastal management. Through our network, we help create the conditions for more resilient coastlines, thriving communities and a healthier coastal environment.