Following the success of the first CCAT cross border event in 2020, the CCAT team are delighted to announce our second virtual networking and knowledge exchange event, Coastal Communities Adapting Together (CCAT): Exchanging Knowledge and Best Practice Across Borders 2021, planned for October 19^th, 20^th and 21^st 2021. As explored in CCAT's event last year, coastal communities are forefront of the impacts of climate change, adaptation, resilience and associated coastal management decisions and planning.

Drawing on feedback from our first event, we recognise that there are more conversations to be had – opportunities remain to learn from what others are doing, and to build on existing best practice in policy and management, for both coastal management and climate change. Through this second virtual event, co-organised by Cardiff University and the wider CCAT team, we will bring together a diverse range of practitioners and academics, with expertise in policy making, coastal management, climate change adaptation, community engagement and more.  Over the course of the event, we will welcome speakers presenting on a wide range of topics including examples from case studies; reflections from communities currently experiencing the impacts of climate change; community scale initiatives, and community engagement in coastal management and climate adaptation; nature-based solutions; the role of technology within climate change adaptation and resilience; and finally, we will showcase some of the work coming from through the CCAT project.  Confirmed speakers include:

• Climate Ireland
• Pembroke Dock Marine
• Wales Coastal Monitoring Centre
• Dr Verity Jones (University of West England)
• Dr Cormac Walsh (Independent Consultant)
• Caroline Hickman (University of Bath)
• Professor Robin McInnes

We will be updating the programme on our website over the coming weeks - for more details visit the CCAT website. Registration information can be found here.

The CCAT project is part funded by the Irish Wales Co-operation Programme and aims to assist coastal communities on the Irish sea who are directly impacted by climate change. The CCAT operation will help communities to build resilience (adaptive capacity to change), facilitate marine and climate citizenship, and realise the potential of the Irish Sea region by (re)connecting coastal communities with their place, their dynamic coastal systems and our changing climate.

The Ireland Wales 2014-2020 European Territorial Co-operation (ETC) programme is a maritime programme connecting organisations, businesses and communities on the West coast of Wales with the South-East coast of Ireland.

The Welsh Government manages the programme with partners, the Southern Regional Assembly (SRA) and the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER).

The programme is one of a family of ETC programmes which provide opportunities for regions in the EU to work together to address common economic, environmental and social challenges. 

The Ireland Wales programme focuses on seeking solutions to shared challenges on both sides of the Irish sea, to improve the economic and sustainable development priorities of Wales and Ireland.

The programme focuses on:

• Cross border innovation
• Adaptation of the Irish Sea and Coastal Communities to Climate Change
• Cultural and Natural Resources and Heritage