Visions of the coast’s past, present and yet to come

Exploring the power of historical coastal identity

Leveraging cultural heritage for public engagement

In our quest to boost public awareness of climate change and acceptance of the required transition, traditional approaches have focused on future scenarios — either emphasizing the risks of inaction or presenting visions of a better future, or a mix of both. However, there is a growing trend to leverage cultural heritage, such as historical coastal identities, to enhance public engagement and acceptance. Cultural heritage provides valuable insights that help us understand the present and envision the future.

Perceptions of the Belgian coast

• Research examines how people perceive the Belgian coast, including its evolution over time and its future trajectory.
• Our survey results show that optimism about the present and future of the Belgian coast leads to greater acceptance of sustainable projects.
• Positive evaluations of the past, present, and future are linked to higher place attachment—a known predictor of place-protective behavior.
• These findings indicate that shaping perceptions of the coast's past and future can influence acceptance levels.

Testing historical knowledge for acceptance

• The next phase of research explores whether increasing local historical knowledge about past landscape changes can boost acceptance of future landscape changes.
• This includes a focus on coastal protection measures.

Case Study: Spioenkop

For further insights into how historical coastal identity influences public engagement, check out the Spioenkop case study.