Coastal Transitions Workshop
About
Coastal Transitions, jointly organised by Southern Connecticut State University and MIC Limerick, will take place on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 August 2026.
Workshop Theme: Beyond Blue Economy - Critical, Practical and Ethical Directions for Coastal Prosperity
- When: 26 & 27 August 2026
- Where: TARA Building, MIC Limerick
As the 'Blue Economy' gains global traction, critical scrutiny has exposed several inherent blind spots. Critics increasingly point to issues of 'blue-washing' extractivism, and a narrow focus on growth that often undermines the coastal sustainability it claims to support. This workshop moves Beyond the Blue Economy to cultivate a new dialogue on coastal prosperity, based on principles of ecological integrity and social equity. By bridging emerging knowledge in governance, technology, and policy, we aim to catalyse a transition toward a truly inclusive and sustainable 'true-blue economy'.
In the tradition of previous Coastal Transitions Conferences, this workshop targets direct dialogue and engagement between the scientific research community, government officials, NGO representatives and the business community by delivering a transdisciplinary interactive problem-based workshop. The workshop will build upon the successful Coastal Transitions Conferences of 2017, 2020, and 2023 which led to the publication of Towards Coastal Resilience and Sustainability in the Coastal Zone (Heidkamp & Morrissey, 2018) and Blue Economy: People and Regions in Transitions. Heidkamp, Morrissey, Germond-Duret (2022) and a special section in The Geographical Journal: (In)justice and the blue economy.
Coastal Transitions is sponsored by the IGU Commission on the Dynamics of Economic Spaces, Project Blue @ SCSU and the IGU Commission on Coastal Systems. Coastal Transitions is jointly organized by Southern Connecticut State University and MIC University of Limerick.
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