Coastal Quest

COASTAL QUEST IS IMPLEMENTING OUR WORK THROUGH FOUR CROSS-CUTTING ISSUE AREAS, EXPLORING THE THEME OF LAND/SEA CONNECTION, AND FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT MORE HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO MANAGING THE COASTAL ZONE TO PROVIDE BENEFITS FOR BOTH PEOPLE AND NATURE. OUR FOUR PROGRAMS ARE: RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENTS; RESILIENT PROTECTED AREAS AND PARKS; PROTECTING AND RESTORING COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS; AND CLEAN COASTAL WATER.

RESILIENT PROTECTED AREAS AND PARKS. TO ADDRESS THE GLOBAL CLIMATE CRISIS, NATIONS ARE COMMITTING TO PROTECT, RESTORE, AND REDUCE IMPACTS ON NATURAL AREAS. IN THE UNITED STATES, AN EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS RECENTLY SIGNED PROMISING TO PROTECT 30 PERCENT OF U.S. LAND AND 30 PERCENT OF OCEANS BY 2030. IN CALIFORNIA, A SIMILAR EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS SIGNED. THIS 30 BY 30 COMMITMENT GALVANIZED GOVERNMENTS TO ACT QUICKLY TO DEVELOP NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE THAT CAN SEQUESTER CARBON, REDUCE POLLUTION, RESTORE WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND BENEFIT COMMUNITIES. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO STRENGTHEN MANAGEMENT, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN COASTAL PROTECTED AREAS AND PARKS. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THIS WILL HELP STATES AND NATIONS REACH 30 BY 30 TARGETS, PREPARE PROTECTED AREAS AND PARKS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ENSURE INCREASED ACCESS BY PRIORITY COMMUNITIES.

"PROTECTING AND RESTORING COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. ACROSS THE GLOBE COLLABORATIVE POLICY FORUMS ARE WORKING TO CHANGE THE WAY WE VIEW AND ADDRESS THE ROLE OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. AS THE UNITED STATES RENEWS IT COMMITMENT TO THE PARIS AGREEMENT AND OTHER COUNTRIES PLEDGE TO CURB CLIMATE CHANGE, A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY REMAINS FOR BETTER INCLUSION OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS AS A NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTION AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY, ENHANCING WATER QUALITY AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO CATALYZE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENABLING CONDITIONS AND ON-THE-GROUND BLUE CARBON EFFORTS THAT WILL PROTECT AND RESTORE COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS, DELIVERING BLUE CARBON BENEFITS WHILE HELPING COMMUNITIES, ECOSYSTEMS, AND ECONOMIES BE MORE RESILIENT TODAY. "

RESILIENT COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENTS. LIMITED FUNDING SOURCES EXIST WORLDWIDE TO HELP COMMUNITIES BUILD CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND ON-THE-GROUND IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. MANY EXISTING CLIMATE RESILIENCE-FOCUSED FUNDING SOURCES LACK FLEXIBILITY, FOCUS SUPPORT ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND OFTEN DO NOT ALLOW FOR THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO EARLY PHASES OF PLANNING. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS WILL REQUIRE JOINT ACTION AND COLLABORATION ACROSS JURISDICTIONS, AGENCIES, AND PARTNERS. HIGHLIGHTING A NEED TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR COASTAL RESILIENCE INCLUSIVE, SCIENCE-BASED PLANNING AND PILOTING. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PILOT AND IMPLEMENT PUBLIC- PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND BLENDED FUNDING MECHANISMS TO SUPPORT COASTAL RESILIENCE PLANNING, PROJECTS AT ALL SCALES, FROM LOCAL TO NATIONAL.