CCMS Director Dr. Margarita Stancheva and CCMS Advisory Committee Member Prof. Colin D. Woodroffe are Guest Editors of the Journal of Coastal Conservation Special Issue that address topics related to sustaining coastal and marine environments in the Anthropocene.
Coastal environments are places of abundant resources and natural beauty. They are highly valued by people and are consequently under pressure with burgeoning populations, also providing substantial cultural and recreational amenities. Human activities are directly impacting coastal and marine ecosystem services through pollution and degradation. Coastal and adjacent marine zones are threatened by natural and anthropogenic activities in the catchments. The low-lying plains associated with deltas and estuaries support ever-increasing populations engaged in agriculture, fishing, aquaculture, and industrial activities. Rapid urbanization is being experienced with many of the world’s megacities on deltas associated with big rivers; deltaic cities are home to more than 150 million people and seem likely to exceed 200 million in the next two decades.
The Commission on Coastal Systems to the International Geographical Union (https://igu-coast.org/) encourages the study of interactive systems, both human and physical, in coastal areas throughout the world, and convened a session on this topic at the 34th International Geographical Congress (IGC) held 16–20 August 2021. Several of the papers that follow were presented at that congress, complemented by additional papers on associated topics in this special issue. These themes collectively reflect the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within coastal and marine environments, providing valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders working towards the protection and sustainability of these vital ecosystems.
Follow the open access introductory article and the special issue:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11852-024-01051-4
Cite this article: Woodroffe, C.D., Stancheva, M. Sustaining Coastal and Marine environments in the Anthropocene. J Coast Conserv 28, 51 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-024-01051-4