India’s coastline faces rapid environmental change – nowhere more visible than in the state of Kerala. A recent conference brought together international and Indian scientists alongside local stakeholders to exchange knowledge and research insights. The participants explored also how to respond to environmental changes with science-based solutions for strengthening climate resilience. The conference is part of the C3-eKerala project and was organized by the Nansen Center and the Nansen Environmental Research Centre (India).
Four themes were central to the conference: sea‑level rise and shoreline changes, harmful algal blooms and climate extremes, climate change impact on coastal habitats, and marine spatial planning and adaptation strategies. Satellite observations are one of the most important tools, with researchers showing how these data sources can help track coastal changes, detect harmful algal blooms, and monitor marine habitats. The expertise at the Nansen Center is central to progress in these fields, benefitting the Kerala coastal communities. The conference discussions pointed toward the need for long‑term coastal data, improved forecasting capacity, and better integration of local and scientific knowledge.
Engaging with local stakeholders
Stakeholders from government agencies, coastal communities, non-governmental organizations, and industry participated in a dedicated panel session. They shared experiences from recent climate‑related events, including erosion, flooding, and pressure on ecosystems.
The dialogue helped identify priority needs for the region, including accessible data products, improved early‑warning information, promote experiential learning, and closer collaboration between scientific institutions, stakeholders and decision‑makers. Participants also emphasized the importance of community‑level involvement in adaptation planning.
Looking ahead
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding that coordinated efforts will be crucial in the coming years. Planned activities include knowledge exchange between Norwegian and Indian partners, follow‑up meetings with stakeholders, and continued work on tools for coastal monitoring and forecasting. The project partners aim to ensure that research results from C3‑eKerala (see info box) support practical and effective climate‑adaptation measures along the Kerala coast.
As highlighted in the panel discussion, local communities prefer hard protection measures such as groynes and seawalls against sea incursion and flooding, while experts argue that these structures do not ensure long-term shoreline protection. Nature-based solutions like mangroves face local resistance due to legal concerns. C3e-Kerala should generate strong scientific evidence to help communities and policymakers reach a consensus on sustainable shoreline protection.
The conference was organized as part of the C3‑eKerala project, which is endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and funded by the Research Council of Norway.
Key researchers: Roshin P. Raj, Antonio Bonaduce, Lasse H. Pettersson, Fabio Mangini, Artem Moiseev
