Recently, the "Connecting Rivers& Oceans for Sustainable Solutions in the Coastal Zone(CROSS Coastz)" initiative, led by the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (SKLEC) at East China Normal University, has been designated as one of the first major scientific programs under the United Nations Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033).
This marks another milestone in China's global coastal governance efforts, following the lab's "Mega-Delta" program being recognized as part of the UN Ocean Decade (2021–2030) in 2021. It highlights China’s evolution from an active participant to a driving force in this vital field.
Coastal zones, where land and sea interact, are home to 50% of the global population and over 80% of megacities. Yet, these "golden belts" face mounting challenges. According to the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report, global sea levels have risen at an average rate of 4 mm per year in the past decade, with regions like Jakarta and Manila Bay experiencing relative rises of up to 25–50 cm annually due to land subsidence. Over the last 30 years, 16% of coastal wetlands have vanished, triggering sharp declines in key species. Meanwhile, sediment discharge from major rivers like the Yangtze and Yellow has dropped by 70–90% since the 20th century, disrupting sediment balance, accelerating erosion, and intensifying storm surges and flooding.
The CROSS Coastz team emphasizes that these transboundary challenges demand global scientific collaboration. The initiative targets these pressing coastal issues by advancing research on land-ocean interactions to deliver systemic solutions for sea-level rise, erosion, flooding, pollution, and ecological degradation.
Led by SKLEC, the program brings together over 120 experts from 40+ institutions across six continents, spanning disciplines like hydro-sediment dynamics, biogeochemistry, wetland ecology, and coastal engineering. "Our partners worldwide will help propagate CROSS Coastz's methodologies and vision," said Prof. He Qing, the program’s lead scientist.
Leveraging platforms like Future Earth Coasts and Integrated Marine Biosphere Research, as well as partnerships under the Ocean Decade and joint international labs, SKLEC will foster cross-continental collaboration. Beyond research, the initiative will organize workshops, training, and graduate programs to empower scientists and policymakers in developing nations with climate adaptation and sustainability expertise.
Adopting a "Monitor-Assess-Solve-Share" framework, CROSS Coastz will launch a global coastal survey and an open-data platform to integrate multi-dimensional metrics—from climate impacts to flood risks—enabling precise modeling and forecasting.
For governance, the program champions nature-based solutions to bolster coastal resilience, including restoring mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass beds. Pilot projects in key regions will test these strategies, with findings distilled into policy recommendations for governments and international bodies.
"We aim to turn science into actionable strategies, enhancing ecosystem and community resilience through open science and stakeholder engagement," Prof. He noted. Beyond ecological benefits, CROSS Coastz is expected to deliver socioeconomic gains—improving livelihoods and fostering blue-green economies—transforming vulnerable coastlines into sustainable hubs.
Source: China News Service, VOC
