Earth Observation for SDGs in Coastal Areas and Small Islands
A Special Issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292) belonging to the section "Earth Observation Data".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2027 | Viewed by 295
Editors
2. Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: sustainable development space observation; sensor calibration; SDG application
2. Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: land cover classification; geostatistics; heritage protection; SDG evaluation
Interests: meteorologymeteorology; climate change; earth observation technology; photometry and spectroscopy; numerical weather prediction; geographic information system
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Coastal areas and small islands represent some of the most vulnerable and ecologically sensitive regions facing escalating pressures from climate change, sea-level rise, and anthropogenic activities. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in these fragile environments requires accurate, localized, and consistent monitoring approaches. Earth observation technologies offer powerful capabilities for tracking critical SDG indicators—such as coastal ecosystem health, water quality, urban expansion, and climate resilience—across various spatial and temporal scales. The growing availability of multi-source satellite data, along with enhanced international collaboration in satellite data sharing and application, has significantly improved our capacity to support evidence-based decision-making in these geographically constrained regions.
This Special Issue aims to compile cutting-edge research that utilizes Earth observation data to advance SDG localization, monitoring, and evaluation in coastal zones and small island states. We encourage submissions that develop innovative methodologies, integrate diverse observational datasets, or present case studies demonstrating how space-based technologies can effectively quantify SDG indicators, validate local sustainability strategies, and address unique challenges in coastal and island settings. This theme strongly aligns with the journal's scope in sustainability science, remote sensing applications, and environmental management, providing a platform to bridge scientific innovation with policy implementation.
We welcome original research articles, reviews, and case studies focusing on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Development and assessment of localized SDG indicators for coastal and island regions;
- Multi-source satellite data integration for coastal ecosystem monitoring;
- Coastal urbanization and its environmental impacts;
- Marine and coastal ecosystem services assessment and management;
- Climate change adaptation and coastal vulnerability assessment;
- Water quality monitoring and marine pollution tracking;
- Land–sea interaction and sustainable blue economy development;
- Data validation, calibration, and standardization of coastal SDG indicators;
- Capacity building and technology transfer in small island developing states.
Dr. Changyong Dou
Dr. Yunwei Tang
Dr. Charles Galdies
Dr. Siqin Wang
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- earth observation
- sustainable development goals (SDGs)
- coastal monitoring
- small island developing states (SIDS)
- coastal ecosystems
- SDG localization
- blue economy
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
