Community and Stakeholder Engagement

Social Sustainability: it focuses on addressing inequalities and ensuring equitable opportunities for all residents in urban coastal areas. Transformative research aims to reduce disparities in access to resources, healthcare, housing, and infrastructure. Climate change disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities, worsening social and economic inequalities, especially for those in high-risk areas like coastal zones.

Unemployment and Poverty: Coastal cities face economic challenges arising from seasonal unemployment, labour market fluctuations and poverty, especially in areas most vulnerable to natural disasters or climate change. Urban coastal populations are often home to marginalised groups who face barriers to accessing basic services such as clean water, health care and education. The effects of climate change, such as forced displacement due to floods, storms or lack of resources, affect these vulnerable communities most severely

Migration and Integrated Policies: play a pivotal role in the sustainability of urban coastal areas, both as a driver of urban growth and as a challenge to existing infrastructure and resources. The integration of migration management into coastal urban planning and environmental policies is critical for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities. By promoting social integration, developing resilient infrastructure, protecting ecosystems, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, coastal cities can better adapt to the changing dynamics of migration while preserving their environmental and social fabric for future generations.

Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Policies: Transformative research also involves policy innovation. To address urban coastal sustainability, new laws, regulations, and governance structures may be needed. This includes policies that integrate environmental protection, social welfare, and economic development, as well as those that promote innovation, such as incentives for businesses to adopt sustainable practices or for cities to invest in resilient infrastructure. How to effectively implement climate adaptation measures (such as building sea defences or protecting wetlands) and mitigation strategies (such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions) in coastal urban areas is a key part of transformative research.

Information, Social Media, and Social Engagement: Social engagement is often pursued (for the good and for the not so good) using social media. Been uncertainty a pervasive phenomenon, the use of simplistic messages can endanger the path towards the future of societies.