World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference Assembles in Yancheng for Experience Sharing on Ecological Priority and Green Development

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YANCHENG, China, Sept. 24, 2025 — The World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference commenced on Sept. 24 with the unveiling of the “State of the World’s Coastal Ecosystems” report during its opening ceremony. This landmark report, for the first time, delivers a systematic evaluation of the global distribution, transformations, and primary drivers impacting 13 distinct types of coastal ecosystems worldwide. It also reviews international best practices in conservation, restoration, and sustainable development, offering prioritized recommendations for action.

This achievement represents a significant outcome of the World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference, underscoring its foundational objective: to advance ecological conservation and sustainable development across global coastal regions, and to supply accessible knowledge products and practical solutions for worldwide coastal governance.

As China’s inaugural coastal wetland World Natural Heritage site, the Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetlands, characterized by their unique ecological environment and rich biodiversity, have emerged as a global benchmark for ecological conservation.

During the opening ceremony, Zhou Bin, secretary of the CPC Yancheng Municipal Committee, shared Yancheng’s local experiences. Over the past 40 years, the city has emphasized ecological concerns, implementing a suite of nature-based solutions and establishing a comprehensive conservation system that spans from protecting migratory habitats to restoring wild populations. Through a three-stage strategy comprising “introduction and population expansion–behavioral adaptation–rewilding,” the Milu Deer (Père David’s Deer) population has surged from 39 introduced individuals in 1986 to over 8,500 today, achieving world-leading rates in reproduction, survival, and annual growth. Concurrently, by leveraging its natural endowments in wind and solar resources, Yancheng has pursued green development and constructed an integrated new energy industry system covering research, manufacturing, and operations.

“Yancheng serves as a reminder that wetlands are not impediments to progress; rather, they are valuable assets for sustainable development,” commented Carlos Aldeco, the representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Zhang Lei, chairman of Envision Group, attended the opening ceremony and declared in his keynote speech, “We are directing our focus towards the ocean and intend to explore with Yancheng the development of a new integrated offshore energy system combining wind, solar, and hydrogen storage. This initiative aims to establish new green ‘oil fields’ at sea, thereby creating a global-leading new energy industry hub.”

With the inclusion of new partners, the World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference’s partner count has increased from an initial 15 to 25, further expanding its “international circle” and broadening its cooperative network. Centered on the theme “Beautiful Coasts: Ecology Priority and Green Development,” stakeholders gathered in Yancheng to jointly discuss, build, and exchange insights on ecological protection and sustainable development in global coastal regions. Aminath Hussain Shareef, Maldives’ Minister of State for Fisheries and Ocean Resources, stated, “No single nation can tackle these challenges in isolation. Global collaboration, facilitated by platforms such as this Forum, is absolutely vital. We must accelerate the exchange of knowledge, technology, and financial resources to safeguard coastal ecosystems, support sustainable blue economies, and foster climate-resilient communities.”

Source: The World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference

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