Our 6th Newsletter is ready!

Since our Newsletter Issue 5 (June 2022), L4L have been actively involved in the H2020 CERTO project, which ended in September 2023 and resulted in an open-access data viewer, and several new and improved EO-based products and water quality indicators suitable for coastal lagoons. These outputs have been integrated into a prototype ready for uptake by the Copernicus Services.

The full migration from the old L4L site to the new site was completed in late 2023 and we are now hosted as an initiative under the newly branded Future Earth Coasts website. Our new site includes an interactive map showing URLs to key EO datasets for selected lagoons, globally. The number of lagoons and datasets featured is expected to grow over the coming years based on contributions from you.

Please spread the word and enjoy reading!

For contributions to future Newsletter issues, please contact us. 

The post 6th L4L Newsletter (Jan 2024) appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

The Mega-Delta program is based on the “Mega-Delta Workgroup” of Future Earth Coasts. It aims to provide solutions to the problems faced by different types of deltas in different regions with different levels of social-economic development. All the deltas are faced with challenges caused by climate change and human activities. Thus, combined efforts from different organizations and multi-disciplines are required to fulfil the task.

Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation against the declining status of the ocean system and catalyze new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘The Science We need For The Ocean We Want’.

The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Source: https://english.ecnu.edu.cn/1e/d6/c1703a401110/page.htm
Related news: https://oceandecade.com/news/134/World-Oceans-Day-discover-the-results-of-the-first-Call-for-Decade-Actions

The post ECNU SKLEC’s Mega-Delta Program endorsed by UN Ocean Decade appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

Ms. HE Shangyan, Director of the International Cooperation Department from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality（STCSM）, congratulated for the establishment of International Joint Laboratory on Estuaries and Coasts. She said Shanghai is now striving to build into a Global Innovation Hub. The joint laboratory led by SKLEC is an excellent platform for promoting scientific innovation and collaboration. She believes new achievements will be made in the field of estuarine and coastal research with the joint efforts from all the partners.

Culture, Science & Education Department from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Romania, expressed his congratulations for the launch of the joint laboratory. It is a concrete action made to implement the Belt and Road Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan, he said. The science section of China Embassy in Romania will provide strong support and assistance for the cooperation between China and Romania Scientists.

Prof. HE Qing, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, and PI of the IJLEC warmly welcomed all the participants and briefly introduced the aims and scopes of the International Joint Laboratory on Estuaries and Coasts.

Representatives from Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality and the China Embassy in Romania delivered speeches respectively. And PI of the joint laboratory introduced the project

Dr. Samina Kidwai, Director General of the National Institute of Oceanography, Pakistan, Dr. Marian Tudor, Director of the Danube Delta National Institute for Research & Development, Romania, Dr. Laura Dutu from the Romanian National Institute of Marine Geology and Geoecology, Prof. Alaa Salem from Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt, and Prof. Sheikh Aftab Uddin from the Institute of Marine Science, Chittagong University, Bangladesh, presented the challenges and research needs in their deltas. They showed strong willing to work together on flooding prevention and early warning, coastal erosion, wetlands conservation and restoration, pollution control, saltwater intrusion and marine micro-plastics etc.

The participants further discussed about the next steps for promoting the joint laboratory. We will set up different thematic research groups, organize workshops or training courses for students, and share remotely sensed data. The partner institutions will not only support for joint research, but also contribute to capacity building and technology transfer. The successful convening of this kick-off meeting marks the official launch of the International Joint Laboratory on Estuaries and Coasts, which has laid a good foundation for follow-up cooperation.

Estuaries and coasts are the key and vulnerable areas for the economic growth of the Maritime Silk Road countries and regions. Under the effect of climate change and human activities, the coastal zones all over the world are faced with multiple challenges such as storm surges, flooding, coastal erosion, degradation of ecological environment and damage to public health, which urgently need scientific and technological support. This Joint Lab is marked as the priority project of Mega-Delta programme, the latter being endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in June, 2021.

Based on the research achievements and international cooperation basis of the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, we try to establish an international joint laboratory with the leading institutions from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Romania and other countries. The cooperation is carried out through international academic cooperation, scientific and technological personnel exchange, students training and resources sharing.

To improve the scientific research and innovation ability of cooperative partners. The joint laboratory will become a platform for information exchange and sharing among partner institutions, and serve the needs of partner countries for disaster prevention and mitigation, environmental protection and public health.

The post The International Joint Laboratory on Estuaries and Coasts is Officially Launched appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

Prof. Qing He congratulated for the opening of the 1st International Symposium on Digital Twin of Estuarine and Coastal System, and emphasized that Mega-Delta Program of UN Ocean has the overall objective to support sustainable development in delta regions. Integrated framework of observations and numerical modelling system, with the newest technology of big data management and artificial intelligence for data analysis, is becoming the right way to guarantee the success of the Mega-Delta Program.

Therefore, as the leading institute of Mega-Delta Program, the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research in East China Normal University decided to hold the International Symposium on Digital Twin of Estuarine and Coastal system, in order to better serve the scientific research, engineering applications and emergency management on the mega deltas over the whole world. This event is the first symposium on digital twin of estuarine and coastal system, and it aims to enhance the understanding and exchange ideas of the digital twin of estuarine and coastal system.

This symposium has received the invitation from the Digital Twin of the Ocean Program which is endorsed as part of the UN Ocean Decade. Currently it is published as one of virtual satellite events in the International Digital Twin of the Ocean Summit (https://www.g7fsoi.org/digital-twin-ocean-summit/). Dr. Martin Visbeck is a professor of University Kiel and the head of research unit Physical Oceanography at GEOMAR – Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. Prof. Visbeck is also the ordinary member of the governing board of International Science Council, and member of the European Academy of Sciences. Prof. Visbeck introduced the UN Ocean Decade ‘Digital Twin of the Ocean Program’, and emphasized that the digital twin is not only the way to understand the ocean, but also the way to plan and intervene the ocean. Prof. Visbeck praised the symposium program and the fantastic presentations, and looked forward to the long-term collaboration with East China Normal University on the digital twin of estuarine and coastal system.

In the session of observations and modelling system, six scientists from the world leading universities/research institutions introduced the latest research on the digital twin of estuarine and coastal system. Followed by the session of core technologies, experts from Deltares/Delft University of Technology, Tsinghua University and East China Normal University discussed the technologies related to data assimilation, model coupler, data system and visualization. Later, four more talks were presented focusing on the application of the digital twin system. Those talks attract great interests from audiences, and many questions and comments were raised from all over the world. Prof. Fang Shen, Prof. Leicheng Guo and Prof. Zhixuan Feng chaired those three sessions respectively.

The post The 1st International Symposium on Digital Twin of Estuarine and Coastal System has been held appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

Prof. Qing He congratulated the opening of the progress meeting of the Mega-Delta Programme. She mentioned that the world deltas are under great pressures such as reduced sediments and excessive nutrients inputs from the catchment, frequent storm surges from the sea, as well as land subsidence, reclamation and flooding at the deltas. In response to these global issues, the Mega-Delta Programme of UN Ocean Decade aims to support sustainable development in delta regions associated with large rivers, through collaboration among different disciplines and stakeholders.

It plans to understand the current status of global river deltas, explore the mechanisms of delta evolution under the influence of global climate change and human activities, predict future trends of water-sediment and socio-economic evolution, as well as early warning for hazards, and provide solutions for common problems, such as sea level rise, coastal erosion, flood disasters, salt water intrusion, soil and water pollution, and ecosystem degradation.

Prof. Qing He briefly introduced the development of the Mega-Delta Programme since its endorsement by the UN Ocean Decade in June 2021. The implementation plan was developed with the partners, and the official website for the Mega-Delta Programme was set up. In August 2021, an online kick-off meeting for the Mega-Delta Programme was held. In October 2021, the “International Joint Laboratory on Estuaries and Coasts” was approved by the Shanghai government to conduct collaborative research with partners in Bangladesh (Ganges Delta), Pakistan (Indus Delta), Egypt (Nile Delta) and Romania (Danube Delta).

At the same time, a Sino-Pakistan joint research project was also granted by the Ministry of Science and Technology, China. In addition, the Mega-Delta Programme is also actively interacting with other partners, such as SCOR-China, Future Earth Coasts, World Coastal Forum, Coastal-SOS project and GEF-FAO Estuary project etc. Scientific data for major river deltas has been collected and will be archived online for share with partners. Scientific Steering Committee, Advisory Committee and Executive Committee are also in planning.

As the leading institute of Mega-Delta Programme, the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research in East China Normal University (ECNU) decided to hold this meeting aiming to promote understanding of the partner deltas of Mega-Delta Programme and introduce new progress in scientific research. Therefore, this symposium is of great significance for the sustainable development of world deltas.‍

The 14th World Oceans Day, on 8 June 2022, highlights the theme “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean”. In line with this theme, the progress meeting of Mega-Delta Programme conducted in-depth discussions on the pressures that deltas are faced with.

Prof. Fangli Qiao from the First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, China introduced about the new mechanism of coastal upwelling system induced by tidal mixing, which is a key process for sediment dynamics and marine ecosystems. Prof. Jiaxue Wu from Sun Yat-sen University reported why coastal hypoxia is persistent in the coastal patchy waters, demonstrated locations where seasonal hypoxia frequently occurs, and how fine particle resuspension affects hypoxic levels. Dr. Z. George Xue from Louisiana State University introduced about the Gulf-COAWST, a regional earth system modeling platform and its applications for the Mississippi- Gulf of Mexico system.

Prof. Shu Gao from Nanjing University and Prof. Leicheng Guo from East China Normal University presented the human and tidal effects on the Changjiang Delta and Ganges-Brahmaputra River Delta in the Anthropocene. Prof. Paul Liu from North Carolina State University reported the challenges that Asian major deltas are facing with case studies from the Mekong and Irrawaddy deltas, such as land subsidence, mangrove reduction, saltwater intrusion, sand mining and coastal retreat. Prof. Daniel R. Parsons from the University of Hull reported the relationship between sediment supply, sand mining and delta sustainability, and pointed out that channel bed-level lowering induced by anthropogenic sediment starvation is the primary factor driving tidal extension upstream in the Mekong delta.

Dr. Samina Kidwai, Director of the National Institute of Oceanography, Pakistan introduced about the research programs since 2009, and challenges faced at the Indus River Delta, such as coastal erosion, mangrove degradation and decreased fishery production. Prof. Alaa Salem from Kafrelsheikh University presented the anthropogenic impact on the coastal lagoons of Nile Delta, and considered that water drainage and reclamation induced the shrinkage of lagoons (1972-2019), as well as reduction of fish resources. Both deltas are faced with reduced sediment and water input from the catchment due to damming.

A. Prof. André Oliveira Sawakuchi from the Institute of Geosciences of Universidade de Sao Paulo reported the past and present changes of environment and climate in the Amazon River basin, under the pressures from deforestation and damming.

Dr. Quirijn J. Lodder, the principal adviser on coastal flood risk management at Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands, and external lecturer of Delft University of Technology, introduced the sediment management as an adaptation strategy for the sandy coast of the Rhine/Meuse delta to sea level rise. Dr. Gijs Hendrickx from Delft University of Technology reported nature-based solutions to mitigate salt intrusion and its effects. Prof. Donald Forbes from the Geological Survey of Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, presented the Management of short-term flooding and long-term inundation in a large Arctic river-mouth system, Mackenzie Delta, Canada. Prof.Ian Townend from University of Southampton reported a management concept of coastal resilience. The management strategies can provide good examples for other deltas with similar problems.‍

At the end of the meeting, a warm discussion session was held. Participants agreed to develop further collaborations in the management of hazards and resources, carbon sequestration and micro-plastics, etc. The most important purpose is to avoid potential problems which has already existed in other deltas. In the meanwhile, some of the scientists suggest to expand the programme to places such as the Russian deltas along the Arctic coast, Greenland, Niger River Delta, and Congo Estuary.

The post Progress meeting of the UN Ocean Decade “Mega-Delta Programme” held online appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

Our 5th Newsletter is ready! Find out what we’ve been up to and which events are forthcoming, including the Future Earth Coasts International Project Office restructure and what this will mean for the L4L community. Please spread the word and enjoy reading!

For contributions to future Newsletter issues, please contact us. 

The post 5th L4L Newsletter (June 2022) appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

If you wish to join this webinar or find out more about future ECSA webinars, you can register here.

The post ECSA Files! (webinar series) appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

The abstract submission for #ecsa59 has been extended to 29 April 2022. With conference themes ranging from studies of biogeochemical fluxes to the human dimension, there is a special session for every niche.

Visit the conference website for more information.

The post Extended abstract submission #ecsa59 appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

The EGU General Assembly 2022 (EGU22) will be a conference with a virtual component where everybody is welcome, in person or online! The organisers plan for the format of the conference to be flexible, giving the opportunity to more easily adapt to the uncertain global context. Submissions are now open for two EGU22 coastal sessions, co-sponsored by the Commission on Coastal Systems (CCS) of the International Geographical Union (IGU):

GM6.7: Coastal Zone Geomorphological Interactions: Natural versus Human-Induced Driving Factors

The session will be organised for the fourteenth time at the EGU2021 General Assembly and gives priority to the subjects of coastal geomorphology: evolution of coastal landforms, coastal morphodynamics, coastline alterations and various associated processes in the coastal zone, e.g. waves and sediment drift, which shape coastal features and cause morphological changes.

This session explores the interactions between natural geomorphic processes and human interventions in the coastal zone. Topics include work on predicting shoreline change and the effects of human activities on the coast, including coastal vulnerability to natural and human-related hazards, coastal and environmental sensitivity classifications and risk assessments, impacts on coastal dune fields, eco-restoration and re-building of coastal environments, Marine Spatial Planning, and Integrated Coastal Management.

This session is being organised by Margarita Stancheva (Bulgaria), Andreas Baas (UK), Hannes Tonnison (Estonia), Giorgio Anfuso (Spain) and Guillaume Brunier (France). Session link.

GM6.9: Coastal morphodynamics: nearshore, beach and dunes

The session will be organised for the fifth time at the EGU2022 General Assembly. Examining the morphodynamics of coasts from the nearshore through to inland dune systems is a fundamental requirement in understanding their short- to long-term behaviour. Examination of complex interactions between these interconnected systems has become essential for the understanding, analysis and ultimately, the management of our coasts.

This session welcomes contributions from coastal scientists interested in the measurement and modelling of physical processes and responses within the three sub-units over various spatial and temporal scales. It will highlight the latest scientific developments in our understanding of this part of the planet’s geomorphic system and will facilitate knowledge exchange between the submerged (e.g., nearshore waves, currents, and sediment transport) and sub-aerial (e.g., beach and aeolian dune dynamics) zones.

This session is being organised by Irene Delgado-Fernandez (UK), Emilia Guisado-Pintado (Spain) and Derek Jackson (UK). Session link.

Abstract submission deadline: 12 January 2022, 13:00 CET!

For more information visit http://igu-coast.org/

The post EGU General Assembly 2022 (EGU22) – submissions open appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.

Aim: Increase understanding of the ecology of low inflow estuaries, of threats to them, and of unique management solutions to address these threats.

To have a potential journal paper considered, please submit a tentative title and abstract (250 words maximum) to Michael.Wetz@tamucc.edu. Deadline: 15th December 2021. An appointed committee will review all submissions for relevance and quality.

Timeline:

15 Dec 2021: Abstract submission deadline

20 Dec 2021: Decisions sent to authors

31 May 2022: Full manuscript submission deadline

Nov 2022: Issue completed

See full details here.

The post Special Issue on Ecology, Stressors and Management of Low Inflow Estuaries appeared first on Future Earth Coasts.