Why Coastal Resilience Matters: A Historical and Systemic Perspective

What does coastal resilience actually mean? And why does it shape the future of every coastline on Earth? In this opening episode of Green Tides, we trace how coastal resilience moved from a niche term to a global priority, from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and Agenda 2030 to the UN Ocean Decade. Then we get concrete, exploring how sea-level rise, coastal erosion, pollution and the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) are reshaping coastal environments and the communities that depend on them. You’ll come away understanding why protecting the coast is not about freezing it in time, but about helping coastal ecosystems and societies adapt, resist and recover under change. Featuring Prof. Nadia Pinardi, Director of the Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience (DCC-CR) and oceanographer; Prof. Elena Fabbri, Marine Physiologist and Head of the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna; and Prof. Greta Tellarini, Full Professor of Navigation and Transport Law, Department of Law, University of Bologna. Learn more at ⁠⁠Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience⁠⁠ And our partner ⁠⁠Ocean Decade⁠ Green Tides is a podcast by the DCC-CR (Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience), produced by Podstar. Narrator: Federica Orsi Writing: Lorenzo Molino Sound design: Antonio Mezzadra Graphics: Laura Fracasso Producer: Ester Memeo Production support: Annalisa Prestianni Special thanks to CMCC – Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon and Deltares.