Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) draws on evidence from ACCESS Leadership College Fellow Dr Pamela Buchan in its new report

Published on 13 June 2025

Coastal communities could have a stronger voice in decisions that affect their seas, as a cross-party committee of MPs calls for reforms to the UK’s marine governance system.

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has drawn on evidence from ACCESS Leadership College Fellow Dr Pamela Buchan (University of Exeter) in a new report urging the government to introduce a national framework for stakeholder participation in marine planning by January 2026.

The report warns that current systems allow limited opportunities for public input into marine planning and advocates for earlier and more meaningful involvement of underrepresented coastal communities and voices in decisions including offshore wind farms and marine-protected areas.

Pamela’s submission highlights the legal obligation to enable public participation under international agreements including the Aarhus Convention and UN Human Rights Council Resolution 48/13.

She writes: “Even for those most highly engaged marine citizens, there is little opportunity to be involved in UK marine governance…”

The Committee’s key recommendations include:

A comprehensive stakeholder engagement framework by January 2026
Clear leadership to coordinate public engagement across marine governance
Investment in capacity and expertise to support inclusive participation
Greater transparency around the impacts of marine decisions on coastal communities