Resilient Coasts, Thriving Communities: A Sea of Solutions 18 to 19 August 2025 India India’s coastline stretches over 7,525 kilometers, supporting about 171 million people across 70 coastal districts. It sustains vital sectors including fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, tourism, transport, and trade. Coastal ecosystems provide essential biodiversity, livelihoods, and natural protection against erosion and climate impacts. However, India’s coastal areas face increasing threats from unplanned development, pollution, climate hazards, and environmental degradation. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), a trusted partner with a $14.15 billion portfolio in India, supports integrated strategies to enhance coastal resilience in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and beyond. As part of a broader vision to develop resilient shorelines, healthy marine ecosystems, and thriving coastal communities, Government of Kerala, ADB's Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Sector, and ADB India Resident Mission's Capacity Development Resource Center organized a two-day forum from 18–19 August 2025 entitled Resilient Coasts, Thriving Communities: A Sea of Solutions, to be held in Kochi, Kerala. This forum brought together national and international experts, government officials, development partners, community representatives, and practitioners to share innovations and best practices in building coastal resilience. Through a series of keynote addresses, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, the forum explored integrated and sustainable approaches to managing coastal and marine environments. Photo Gallery: Resilient Coasts, Thriving Communities: A Sea of Solutions Program and Learning Materials 18 August 2025 19 August 2025 Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Session 1: Keynote Speaker The Lifechanging Benefits of Aquatic Foods in the First 1000 Days of Life This document gives an overview of the lifechanging benefits of aquatic foods in the first 1000 days of life, emphasizing their nutritional value and… Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted Session 2: Coastal Resilience and Protection Solutions EcoShape and Coastal Nature-Based Solutions This document gives an overview of EcoShape's initiatives in implementing nature-based solutions for coastal management. Petra Dankers Session 2: Coastal Resilience and Protection Solutions Maharashtra Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management This document gives an overview of Maharashtra's sustainable coastal protection and management initiatives. Mahesh Chandurkar Session 2: Coastal Resilience and Protection Solutions Building Integrated Coastal Resilience This document gives an overview of the ADB's integrated approach to building coastal resilience in India, highlighting key strategies, successful… Blair Spendelow Session 3: Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management Innovations to Address the Health and Livelihood Challenges of Coastal Communities This document gives an overview of innovative strategies and initiatives addressing the health, livelihood, and biodiversity challenges faced by… Soumya Swaminathan Session 3: Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management: The Contribution of Migratory Shorebirds to Sustainable Livelihoods and Thriving Communities This document gives an overview of the importance of coastal wetlands and migratory shorebirds in supporting biodiversity, sustainable livelihoods,… Vinayagan Dharmarajah Session 4: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Boosting Livelihoods and Local Economies through Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture This document gives an overview of strategies for boosting livelihoods and local economies through sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in India. Sunil Mohamed Session 4: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Boosting (Ensuring) Children’s Nutrition and Women’s Livelihoods Through Aquatic Foods This document gives an overview of the vital contributions of women in fisheries and aquaculture to household nutritional security and economic… Nikita Gopal Session 4: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Climate Change and Fisheries This document gives an overview of the impacts of climate change on global and regional fisheries, highlighting changes in fish biomass, distribution… Sevrine Sailley Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Session 5: Resilient Energy Infrastructure, Green Ports Workshop On Resilient Coasts, Thriving Communities: A Sea Of Solutions - Resilient Energy Infrastructure, Green Ports This document gives an overview of the challenges posed by climate events, the importance of resilient infrastructure, and innovative solutions like… Jaimes Kolantharaj Session 5: Resilient Energy Infrastructure, Green Ports Empowering the Edge: Decentralized Energy Solutions for Coastal Resilience This document gives an overview of decentralized energy solutions and innovative projects aimed at enhancing coastal resilience in Kerala. Narendra Nath Veluri Session 5: Resilient Energy Infrastructure, Green Ports Climate Resilient Energy Infrastructure for Coastline This document gives an overview of climate-resilient energy infrastructure for coastlines, focusing on Kerala's vulnerabilities, energy challenges,… Manisha Mukherjee Session 5: Resilient Energy Infrastructure, Green Ports Enhancing Livelihood of Communities Through Renewable Energy This document gives an overview of enhancing the livelihoods of fishing communities through renewable energy solutions. Martha Wakoli Session 5: Resilient Energy Infrastructure, Green Ports From Gateway to Greenway: Ports Leading the Energy Transition This document gives an overview of the maritime sector's transition to sustainable practices, highlighting India's green maritime vision and… Ankush Saxena Session 6: Marine Pollution Control and Circular Economy Collaborative Approaches to Waste Management: Bridging the Informal and Formal Sectors This document gives an overview of collaborative approaches to waste management, focusing on the integration of informal and formal sectors through… Siddharth Hande Session 6: Marine Pollution Control and Circular Economy Reducing Nitrogen Pollution from Source to Sea This document gives an overview of the urgent need to reduce nitrogen pollution from various sources to protect air and water quality, biodiversity,… Mark Sutton Session 6: Marine Pollution Control and Circular Economy Regional Experience on Integrating Natural Capital for Coastal Resilience and Circular Economy This document gives an overview of regional efforts to integrate natural capital into marine coastal resilience and circular economy initiatives. Zhe Yuan Session 7: Interactive Session Newspaper Exercise This document gives an overview of the newspaper exercise by the participants of the event. Session 7: Interactive Session Creative Tensions This document gives an overview of the interactive discussions on coastal protection strategies, environmental conservation, and community-driven… Grace Gayoso Pasion Session 8: Tools and Models for Coastal Resilience Planning Climate Change Impacts on Coastal Areas-Tools and Models for Coastal Resilience Planning This document gives an overview of the impacts of climate change on India's coastal areas, highlighting issues like erosion, inundation, and extreme… Tune Usha Session 8: Tools and Models for Coastal Resilience Planning Coastal Management Information System (CMIS) for Planners and Designers This document gives an overview of the Coastal Management Information System (CMIS) initiated by the Department of Water Resources, River Development… Shri D. P. Mathuria Session 9: Innovative Financing for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Sustainable Coastal and Marine Development: Examples from Thailand and Cambodia This document gives an overview of sustainable coastal and marine development initiatives in Thailand and Cambodia, highlighting challenges,… Lan Le Session 9: Innovative Financing for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Blue Economy Pathways – Strengthening Blue Finance in India This document gives an overview of the World Bank's engagement in strengthening blue finance in India, outlining its SHORE lending program and key… Anuja Shukla, Venkat Bhargav Sreedhara Session 9: Innovative Financing for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Innovative Financing for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems This document gives an overview of innovative financing strategies and projects aimed at promoting sustainable management, conservation, and… Ganesh Pillai Disclaimer The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Event Coordinator/s Deborah Robertson Blair Spendelow Annamraju Vikram Harsha Related Full Agenda ADB Organizer/s Climate Change, Resilience, and Environment Cluster Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Sector Office Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department Read Also An Innovative and Climate-Resilient Approach to Coastal Management and Adaptation for India India : Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment Program India and ADB Photo Gallery: Resilient Coasts, Thriving Communities: A Sea of Solutions Partner Organization/s Government of Kerala Topics Agriculture and Natural Resources Climate Change Disaster Risk Management Environment Governance and Public Sector Management