Marine and Coastal Ecosystems & Environmental Management
The ocean is both the lifeblood and the greatest vulnerability of island communities. This theme explores how islands can protect marine ecosystems and govern their coastlines sustainably, from sea-level rise to fisheries to blue economies that secure livelihoods for generations to come.
About this theme
For island communities, the ocean is not a boundary, it is a highway, a pantry, a cultural anchor, and increasingly, an economic frontier. The blue economy encompasses fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, ocean energy, seabed resources, coastal tourism, and marine biotechnology.
Yet these opportunities come with profound risks: overfishing, ocean acidification, pollution, rising seas, and contested resource rights threaten the very ecosystems on which island economies depend. This track asks what sustainable, resilient coastal governance looks like, and how islands can lead the way.
Curaçao sits at the heart of one of the Caribbean's richest marine environments, with world-renowned coral reefs, a busy port, and a dive tourism industry that depends entirely on healthy ocean ecosystems, making it an ideal setting for this conversation.
Topics of interest
- →Small-scale fisheries governance and food security
- →Marine protected areas and community-based ocean management
- →Coral reef restoration and ecosystem-based adaptation
- →Sea-level rise projections and coastal adaptation strategies
- →Freshwater security and drought resilience on small islands
- →Seabed mining: risks, governance, and island perspectives
- →Ocean energy (tidal, wave, offshore wind) for island power security
- →Shipping, ports, and maritime connectivity in island economies
- →Blue finance and payments for ecosystem services
- →Ocean pollution: plastics, runoff, and island waste management
- →Rights of nature and indigenous marine stewardship
Submission formats welcome
Individual papers, panel sessions, and practitioner case studies are all welcome. Interdisciplinary submissions combining natural science with social, economic, or policy analysis are especially encouraged.
