We have chosen to focus the book on coastal planning, management and the nexus between them. We believe that achieving genuine sustainable development in coastal areas will be extremely difficult, but without proper planning it will be impossible. Planning helps governments to reconcile the apparently conflicting aims of sustainable development: to promote the economic development of coastal resources while attempting to preserve their ecological, cultural and social uses. We believe a key component of coastal planning efforts is to harness the energy of coastal residents and industrial and recreational users in the day-to-day management of coastal areas. We show practical examples of stakeholder participation in coastal planning, including collaborative management and co-management approaches.