Conserving our coastal jewels
Dr Taej Mundkur, Senior Advisor, Wetlands International
Coastal ecosystems around the world hold some of the most diverse and beautiful habitats from Arctic tundra marshes to tropical coral reefs, intertidal flats and mangroves. Many have been recognized to be of global importance and have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), flyway network sites, marine protected areas and community protected areas – yet many of these are under threat.
To draw attention to the beauty and importance for conservation of these “coastal jewels”, a new coffee-table book entitled “Our Coastal Heritage: Conserving the World’s Coastal Ecosystems” has been produced by Nomad Publishers. The book was launched successfully at the Royal Geographic Society, London on 4 June, just ahead of World Oceans Day 2026, with over 200 people in attendance, including some of the coauthors.
The stunning photos and text in this book cover more than 100 UNESCO Marine and Coastal World Heritage Sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos Islands, the Wadden Sea, the Sundarbans, Komodo National Park, the Aldabra Atoll the Dorset and East Devon Coast, and the Yancheng Wetlands. The book calls for stronger protection of the world’s threatened coastlines and highlights the need to ensure a well-managed global network of important sites, including World Heritage Sites, coastal Ramsar Sites, Flyway Network Sites and the need for concerted local and international actions to conserve our coastal ecosystems. It highlights of the IUCN’s World Heritage Outlook 2025 and the newly established World Coastal Forum Partnership (currently comprising 26 partners and of which Wetlands International is a founding partner), the latest guidance on salt marshes and mudflats restoration (produced by Wetlands International and Cambridge University), the State of the World’s Coastal Ecosystem report that will be launched later this year.
The book is coauthored by Stanley Johnson (Former Member of the European Parliament; and Honorary Adviser to the World Coastal Forum), Dr Vishwajeet Rana, group chief executive of Global Education Holdings and a member of the UNITAR Advisory Board on People and Social Inclusion; Tim Badman, head of IUCN’s World Heritage Programme; Alex Zhang, secretary general of Eco Foundation Global and World Coastal Forum Facilitator; Dr Taej Mundkur, World Coastal Forum Facilitator and senior adviser to Wetlands International; and Lisa Aylett, IUCN’s World Heritage Outlook Coordinator.
The book can be pre-ordered now and will be delivered from 25 June onwards. Orders can also be placed on the Amazon UK website.
The publisher has kindly pledged some of the proceeds raised from the book sales to support work of the World Coastal Forum. So all help is welcomed to promote sales of the book to generate greater awareness and support for conservation of coastal areas and the work of the WCF.
The book has just been featured in The European that also highlights the importance of international cooperation for conservation of these vitally important wetlands for people and biodiversity.