Sustainable coastal management is a crucial step for the protection of marine and coastal biodiversity, as well as the communities that depend on these areas. The first-ever two-day National Conference on Sustainable Coastal Management was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, aimed at protecting India's coastal areas and their inhabitants from the adverse impacts of climate change. The conference was organized through a project under the Green Climate Fund titled Enhancing Climate Resilience of India's Coastal Communities.

What is Sustainable Coastal Management?

The conference aims to bring together all stakeholders on a common platform to create a dynamic network focused on both national and international coastal issues. The goal is to address climate mitigation and adaptation, coastal and marine biodiversity, and pollution, by uniting the 13 coastal states of India—Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, along with Union Territories like Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Andaman & Nicobar.

Creating new policies based on data, managing them effectively, and engaging all stakeholders in a collaborative effort are core pillars of Effective Coastal Management.

Key Projects by UNDP, MoEFCC, and GCF

Since 2019, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has partnered with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the UNDP to run the Enhancing Climate Resilience of Indian Coastal Communities project, in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. This initiative addresses the challenges faced by vulnerable populations, especially women, living in coastal areas, helping them cope with climate-related challenges.

The project started in July 2019 and is scheduled to conclude by June 2025, with an estimated budget of USD 130.3 million, where 33.3% will be funded by GCF and the remaining 66.7% through co-financing.

Are India's Coastal Areas Especially Vulnerable?

India’s coastal areas span over 7,500 km across 13 states, with about 3.5% of the global population living within 50 km of these regions. Due to their proximity to the ocean, these areas are highly sensitive to climate change, leading to rising temperatures, sea levels, and unusual precipitation patterns in recent decades.

Coastal residents face threats such as coastal floods, cyclones, and infrastructure damage, while their livelihoods, primarily dependent on fishing, aquaculture, and agriculture, are significantly impacted.

Not only India, but coastal regions worldwide are experiencing the adverse effects of climate change. Vulnerable populations, particularly women and children in coastal areas, are among the most affected by these changes.