Coastal research to combat the country’s varied challenges needs to be carefully crafted for sustainable coastal zone management. Although the Ministry of Earth Sciences, through the National Center for Coastal Research, Chennai, holds a long-term perspective, it is imperative for India to prepare an inclusive plan. Research needs to move beyond the institutional orientation, especially when the demand for data is enormous, vital to building an understanding of local and regional processes, and helping make viable decisions for coastal communities. Therefore, broader perspectives involving local educational institutions, colleges, universities, and NGOs must be drawn, mainstreaming an institutional framework that will lead to constant interaction with local communities. Increasing plastic pollution, coastal erosion, changing monsoon intensity, storm surges, and extreme events along with untreated effluents from industries, all play a direct role in the day-to-day living of the coastal communities. India needs to move away from the one-size-fits-all policy and set priorities for different domains of coastal ecosystems across varied geomorphological settings. The hinterland processes, natural and manmade need to be equally weighed vis-a-vis the nearshore processes to establish developmental options.

This issue of G’nY has eight popular articles that cover various aspects of coastal zone research, drawing examples from international research and protocols. To have a robust body of work in a domain that is so varied is noteworthy. However, there a still so much that needs to be done. A long coastline is a boon to a nation when it is managed with sensitivity and this is the intrinsic value that needs to be established as the foundation of research.

Special editor’s note

M V Ramana Murthy, Scientist G & Director, National Centre for Coastal Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. mvr@nccr.gov.in

Coasts encompass the sea, the land, and its people and houses a rich ecosystem. Almost half of the world’s human population lives in coastal areas, with the pressure on such habitats increasing with various developmental activities. The threats to coastal communities include extreme natural events such as cyclones, storms, tsunamis and long-term risks of coastal flooding and erosion due to sea level rise. There is a need for a centre of excellence that offers scientific advisory for better management of coastal areas with a mission to develop and provide solutions to issues such as marine pollution, coastal flooding, coastal erosion and habitat degradation. The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) has developed the capability to understand critical coastal parameters, processes and phenomena through monitoring, modelling and research for the sustainable use of resources. This issue of G’nY demonstrates various scientific programmes in coastal research such as flood warning systems for urban areas, nature-based solutions for coastal protection and restoration, action plan for abatement of marine pollution, toxicological studies for understanding the impact of marine pollution on marine organisms and understanding and restoration of the ecosystem through modelling. The outcome of this research has helped build strong linkage with nine coastal states and four union territories. The shoreline change atlas for coastal areas, restoration of lost beach at Puducherry, Integrated Flood Warning System (IFlows) for Chennai and Mumbai, coastal water quality index, studies on coral resilience, ecosystem modelling for Pulicat and Chilika lagoons and backwaters of Cochin are few such unique products/services. NCCR also intends to develop capabilities for marine spatial planning for integrated ocean management to provide a framework for India’s blue economy towards maintaining ecosystem services.