Integrated land-sea governance mooted at coastal forum

The 2025 World Coastal Forum opened on Wednesday in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, with the two-day event aiming to foster joint consultation, co-construction, and sharing of ecological protection and sustainable development strategies among its members.

The forum's partnership base now stands at 25 members, encompassing government agencies, international organizations, universities, and research institutions from 14 countries and regions.

Yang Zhen, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and executive vice chairman of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, emphasized the importance of balancing development with environmental protection in his address.

He advocated the creation of an integrated land-sea ecological governance system and expressed the hope that more countries will join the World Coastal Forum Partnership Initiative, which was launched in 2023.

The goal is to share development opportunities and achieve green development, ensuring a future with blue skies, green lands, and clear waters for generations to come, he added.

Xin Changxing, Party secretary of Jiangsu province, highlighted Jiangsu's ongoing efforts to strengthen ecological protection, accelerate green transformation and deepen global cooperation.

He said that Jiangsu plans to prioritize ecology and green development, enhance the coastal ecological barrier and promote the sustainable development and use of marine resources. This strategy aims to connect people more closely with the ocean and ensure that the move benefits humanity.

A report, State of the World's Coastal Ecosystems, was released during the opening ceremony as was the second batch of the International Case Collection on Synergistic Enhancement of Coastal Ecological Disaster Reduction.

The status report revealed that over the past 50 years, global coastal ecosystems have suffered varying degrees of degradation. Seagrass beds, coral reefs, mollusk reefs and kelp forests have been the worst affected, with an average annual net loss rate exceeding 1 percent.

The report, the first comprehensive global assessment of coastal ecosystems, was jointly prepared by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The report identified coastal urbanization, climate change and exploitation of fisheries as the primary reasons behind the degradation of coastal ecosystems.

Additionally, agriculture, marine mineral extraction and energy development also disrupt these ecosystems. As coastal regions continue to develop socio-economically, these impacts are likely to become more severe if no effective interventions are made.

In response to these challenges, the international community has made significant efforts in protection, restoration and sustainable development of coastal regions, though much work remains to be done, the report stated.

Currently, 12.4 percent of the world's coastal areas are protected, but overall protection needs to be strengthened. Restoration efforts are underway in many countries but remain limited in scale and are constrained by technology, funding and policy.

While awareness of ecological protection has increased in many regions, stronger measures are needed, particularly in fisheries resource recovery and the advancement of green shipping technologies.

Scott Morris, vice-president of the Asian Development Bank, said the bank sees the blue economy as a transformative pathway for sustainable growth.

"Since 2019, ADB has committed more than $3.8 billion to ocean health projects," said Morris. "We are equally committed to advancing coastal resilience — through mangrove restoration, hybrid green-grey infrastructure, and ecosystem-based adaptation."

"One of the most powerful demonstrations of what is possible is right here in Yancheng," he said. "The Jiangsu Yancheng Wetlands Protection Project, co-financed by ADB and the Global Environment Facility, restored and rehabilitated thousands of hectares of degraded wetlands, controlled invasive species, and converted fishponds back into natural habitats."

This year's forum, themed "Beautiful Coasts: Ecological Priority and Green Development", was co-hosted by the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.