Coasts & Oceans
Featured Cases:
The Challenge
The demands on coasts and oceans grow each year, fueling unprecedented conflicts over access to these limited natural resources. More residents than ever live and recreate on our coasts. Sea level rise and more intense storms threaten both natural and human assets. Efforts to gain greater energy independence are sparking interest in off-shore renewable energy. Vessel traffic is increasing, putting marine mammals at greater risk. Fishermen struggle to make a livelihood while aquaculture holds promise to feed a hungry world but also poses risks.
Our Approach
Our mediators have extensive experience helping parties build agreements on coast and ocean issues at the local, state, and federal levels. While we custom design our engagements, our mediators draw on several core approaches:
- Building parties’ shared understanding of complex systems by jointly defining and researching data that is essential to decision-making
- Helping parties consider risks and uncertainties, as they face changes in and related to climate
- Conducting outreach to and engaging affected communities
- Bringing stakeholders together in structured dialogues to understand each another’s interests, evaluate data, set priorities, and invent solutions
From working with coastal communities to prepare for rising sea levels to supporting planning efforts in New England that resulted in the first ocean plan in the country, we have helped advance progress on challenging, contentious coastal and ocean issues.
Areas of Expertise
- Ocean and coastal planning
- Fisheries management
- Protected resources and species
- Coastal climate change/sea level rise adaptation
- Offshore energy development
- Coastal fresh and estuarine water quality
- Ecosystem restoration