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Our Coast and Public Health Conference 29 - 30 April

This is a biennial conference focusing on sustainable coastal communities in the South West, is taking place at the University of Plymouth on 29th and 30th April 2008.

The future of these communities touches nearly all of us – over 60 per cent of the region’s population live and work within 10 km of the sea, and 25 of our 37 major settlements are located in the fringes of the longest coastline of the nine English regions.

These communities have grown and evolved, many over centuries, facing constant threats to their survival and development, natural disasters and economic decline alike. Their future has now been thrown sharply into focus, as the effects of climate change are not only being recognised but also experienced, in many of those settlements

Our Coast and Public Health brings together organisations in the region that have an interest in a coordinated approach to the wider environment, health, tourism, and science. The Conference will build on the success of previous Our Coast events in 2004 and 2006, to create a platform for discussion, debate and sharing of evidence to support change.

Participants will identify future challenges in the fields of environment, health, society and economy, providing a robust platform for integrated working based on developing scenarios of life in the coastal areas 20 years time.

Debate will be underpinned by the wider context of integrated planning, such as the Draft South West Regional Spatial Strategy, with its target areas for transport, waste, housing, and economy, and the South West Regional Assembly’s Just Connect partnership programme.

For further details go to www.hpa-events.org.uk