Around the world a range of industries championed as vital for future social and environmental outcomes, such as offshore wind and kelp, meet fierce resistance from local communities – many of whom cite environmental concerns as the reason for their opposition. Normative concepts such as ‘sustainability’ and ‘clean energy’ enjoy relatively strong public approval yet meet resistance when applied in particular localities. Drawing on recent research on the development of the kelp industry in NSW, along with observations of the response to the declaration of an offshore energy zone in the Illawarra, this talk will explore the competing discourses surrounding sustainability and the future uses of the ocean. In these debates global environmental concerns, such as climate change and the biodiversity crises are pitted against each other, or the nature of what constitutes ‘sustainability’, or environmental success are contested. Furthermore, these broad scale concepts compete with local place-based concerns. This talk explores the need to better understand the underlying drivers of environmental conflict through improved understanding of the diversity of values underpinning community responses, and diverse meanings of sustainability in the context of ocean use and development. It will consider ways that conflict can be harnessed to produce positive outcomes.