Most of the world’s population lives within 100 km of the coastline, including the population of Southeast Asia. Those numbers are growing, so that land use is also changing year by year. Therefore, the anthropogenic stressors in coastal regions are expected to further degrade the coastal environments. In terms of hydrogeomorphology, these changes will potentially increase subsidence and saltwater intrusion. In addition, sea-level rises caused by global warming will make coastal communities more vulnerable.

Potential discussion topics:

• Development of waterfront cities and urban communities under hazardous coastal conditions
• Land subsidence and saltwater intrusion effects on land building
• Climate change adaptation

Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics and support numerous ecosystem services for coastal communities. These forests form an important part of the carbon stored in coastal ecosystems, called “coastal blue carbon.” They could play a significant role in reducing emissions, while also supporting biodiversity conservation, fisheries habitat protection and disaster risk reduction. Despite their large ecological effects, mangroves have suffered huge pressures of land-use change and conversion.

Potential discussion topics:

• Causes, patterns and consequences of changes in mangrove ecosystems
• Roles of mangroves in livelihoods and ecosystem services
• Conservation and restoration: challenges and opportunities
• Mangroves in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Paris Agreement