Urban/terrestrial and marine development and activities have one thing in common: they both rely on planning processes, including plans to guide the use of space. One concerns land, the other concerns the sea. What else they share in common, if anything at all, is as clear as mud.
Indeed, regardless of this very basic commonality, they are both disciplines in their own right. This makes sense. Concerning oneself with a city or country is simply very different from the sea. Moreover, marine planning is the younger of the two disciplines, only surfacing in the last few decades. Marine planning needed to develop and evolve in its own way.
These observations suggest that both disciplines could be, should be, and probably have already been, learning from each other. Many urban or terrestrial planners stepped into marine planning when it started, transplanting practices and perspectives from one to the other. As marine planning has since evolved, surely some practices and perspectives could now be transplanted back to urban/terrestrial planning as well.
Simultaneously, urban/terrestrial and marine planners have a common concern: sustainability transitions. Transitioning our use of space to achieve environmental sustainability is undoubtedly their top priority. In the meantime, they will need to contribute to society preventing and adapting to climate change.
Hence this conference. Researchers, practitioners, educators, consultants and students of urban/terrestrial and marine planning and development should come together, discuss their commonalities and differences, and share their insights.
Land and sea together make mud. Let’s get stuck in it.
Submit your proposal (deadline 31 March 2022).
More information on the event page.