RPS Develops Good Practice Guide for Coastal Planners and Decision Makers

The RPS Galway Marine Science team was appointed by NUIG and Mayo County Council to act as Technical Advisor to the Atlantic Network for Coastal Risks Management (ANCORIM) project. The project focuses on strengthening the operational capacity of decision makers in Atlantic regions, with the aim of preventing coastal risks and in particular those linked to climate change.

This strengthening of capacity is possible by making practical use of shared scientific and technical information, which is translated, interpreted and made available to managers of coastal zones in western Europe. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funded project aims to improve the relevance of decisions concerning coastal management and planning and the management of potential crises where coastal systems are affected.

As part of the project, a series of awareness information and education tools have been developed. These include a handbook for assessing and including coastal risks in coastal planning, which was translated and released at conferences in Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal earlier this year. The handbook and tools are being sent to all local councils and relevant decision makers on the western European coast.