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Globally, rapid demographic change of coastal urban agglomerations, the speed of urbanisation over time, the overall impact of coastal space occupation as well

This chapter presents a review of the multi-scalar complexities of coastal sustainability challenges. It focuses on three discrete vignettes of innovation, which range from a novel and emerging innovation, a maturing innovation and an innovation which has become mainstream and part of the prevailing socio-technical regime. The first vignette focuses on 3D ocean farming off the coast of Connecticut in Long Island Sound, USA, as an example of an emerging niche-level innovation. The second vignette discusses the development of offshore wind energy capacity in Liverpool Bay, UK as an example of a socio-technical innovation that is more mature. The final vignette discusses containerisation as an example of a fully matured socio-technological change. The chapter argues that a spatial perspective on transition is critical to adequately account for uneven development processes and to recognise the heterogeneity of different places in terms of potential for low-carbon transition. © 2019 selection and editorial matter, C. Patrick Heidkamp and John Morrissey.

While there is growing consensus that human behaviours need to change to a more sustainable paradigm, community driven approaches, such as social enterprise, have yet to be explored as serious instruments of sustainability transition. Social enterprises sit within the third sector of the economy, typically where market or governmental failures exist in the provision of social welfare, and have increasingly become a key driver of social progress. The autonomous nature of the social-economic model applied by such organisations can represent a viable means to reduce state social welfare dependence, and is a proven model for social change. The capability of social enterprises to create both social and economic value is considered a `win-win'. Yet there are clear potentials for social enterprise models to be more extensively applied to address contemporary ecological challenges of neo-liberal market economies, moving towards `win-win-win' outcomes across social, economic and ecological domains. This paper investigates the value of social enterprises as drivers of low-carbon transition at the community level, with an emphasis on the energy sector. Evidence from seven organisations in the UK is presented and a socio-technical transitions conceptual framework is applied to analyse these social enterprise operations as a form of social innovation.

This chapter provides an overview of public engagement, its importance and effective approaches to meaningfully involve the public with coastal sustainability transitions. It presents two case studies, Guernsey, British Channel Islands and Cape Wind, Massachusetts. These illustrate how concepts of identity, marginality and engagement are essential to the development of coastal sustainability transitions. As the case study of Guernsey outlines, coastal sustainability transition-related public engagement should seek to enhance the local distinctiveness of coastal areas and 'fit within the wider narrative of place identity and how individuals feel attached to places that are ascribed with specific meanings'. Furthermore, as the case study of Cape Wind illustrates, coastal sustainability transitions need to connect with local communities in terms of addressing immediate social and economic concerns. Therefore, as a research agenda, the human geographies of coastal sustainability transitions can be of substantial value to the practical application of sustainability. © 2019 selection and editorial matter, C. Patrick Heidkamp and John Morrissey.

"Coastal zones represent a frontline in the battle for sustainability, as coastal communities face unprecedented economic challenges. Coastal ecosystems are subject to overuse, loss of resilience and increased vulnerability. This book aims to interrogate the multi-scalar complexities in creating a more sustainable coastal zone. Sustainability transitions are geographical processes, which happen in situated, particular places. However, much contemporary discussion of transition is either aspatial or based on implicit assumptions about spatial homogeneity. This book addresses these limitations through an examination of socio-technological transitions with an explicitly spatial focus in the context of the coastal zone. The book begins by focusing on theoretical understandings of transition processes specific to the coastal zone and includes detailed empirical case studies. The second half of the book appraises governance initiatives in coastal zones and their efficacy. The authors conclude with an implicit theme of social and environmental justice in coastal sustainability transitions. Research will be of interest to practitioners, academics and decision-makers active in the sphere of coastal sustainability. The multi-disciplinary nature encourages accessibility for individuals working in the fields of Economic Geography, Regional Development, Public Policy and Planning, Environmental Studies, Social Geography and Sociology" -- Provided by publisher's website.

Geography has engaged in insightful discussions on how to understand, analyze, criticize, and implement the blue economy. United Nations agencies, Small Island Developing States, and increased academic interest in oceans have played important roles in the global adoption of the blue economy idea, that is, the sustainable exploitation of marine and coastal resources. Geographical research on the blue economy has addressed key themes such as economic and political discourse, relational thinking and assemblage, sustainability and just transitions, and blue economy risks.

There is currently no generally accepted definition for the “blue economy,” despite the term becoming common parlance over the past decade. The concept and practice have spawned a rich, and diverse, body of scholarly activity. Yet despite this emerging body of literature, there is ambiguity around what the blue economy is, what it encapsulates, and its practices. Thus far, the existing literature has failed to theorise key geographical concepts such as space, place, scale, and power relations, all of which have the potential to lead to uneven development processes and regional differentiation. Previous research has sought to clarify the ontological separation of land and sea or has conceptualised the blue economy as a complex governmental project that opens up new governable spaces and rationalises particular ways of managing marine and coastal regions. More recently, geographers have called for a critical—and practical—engagement with the blue economy. This paper critically examines the existing literature of the geographies of the blue economy through a structured meta-analysis of published work, specifically its conceptualisations and applications to debates in the field. Results offer the potential to ground a bottom-up definition of the blue economy. In so doing, this paper provides a clearly identifiable rubric of the key geographical concepts that are often overlooked by researchers, policymakers, and practitioners when promoting economic development and technological innovation in coastal and marine environments. © 2019 The Author(s) Geography Compass © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

In a period of rising sea levels and intensifying storms, enhancing coastal resilience and finding sustainable ways of living with the coast have become necessary concerns. Investigations of storm wave damage to coastal structures on the Connecticut shoreline during Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy revealed that the width and height of frontal beaches were the most common denominator in mitigating the damages. One of the major problems, particularly for a state like Connecticut that has a highly developed coastline with systematically eroding beaches, is that the cost of beach nourishment projects is not only high but is increasing rapidly. The cost of beach nourishment at Prospect Beach in the town of West Haven is instructive. However, considering the importance of beaches and the costs of replenishment, rethinking Environmental Protection policies in favour of instituting regional and local sediment management practices may be in order. © 2019 selection and editorial matter, C. Patrick Heidkamp and John Morrissey.

Behaviour, practices and culture constitute a powerful human factor in the energy system; in particular the interactions between technologies, practices and norms lock individuals in to certain patterns of (often inefficient) energy use. Consequently, behaviour change has gained traction amongst policy makers as a key area of intervention given the impact energy-related behaviours have on climate change. Given the increasing emphasis within policy perspectives in the European Union, it is surprising that a gap in understanding of the success factors of behaviour change initiatives remains. This paper addresses this gap by identifying and characterising behaviour change initiatives across five European countries (the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, and Spain). The paper provides insights into the success factors and commonly encountered barriers to behaviour change initiatives. Initiatives are classified into 6 broad categories (community-based interventions; information and awareness based interventions; eco-districts; show-case events; energy switching; and smart-technology focused interventions). The results suggest that there are significant knowledge gaps between what is known to work to engage individuals in behavioural change and what is currently being applied in practice. An over-reliance on education and awareness-raising projects is evident, illustrating that such projects do not sufficiently aim for sustained behavioural changes. A dearth of projects incorporating fiscal measures, regulations or legislation to drive behaviour change reflects reluctance on behalf of decision-makers to engage widely with diverse approaches to foster lifestyle change. This paper contributes understandings of the different models and delivery tools employed to change energy-related behaviours; insights into the critical success factors that underpin best practice and the barriers to action; and a `what works in practice' overview of the meaningful approaches to change behaviour. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.