Sustainable Development of Marine Ecosystems: Equitable and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Ecological and Biodiversity Conservation
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Oceans".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2026 | Viewed by 1
Special Issue Editor
Interests: hybrid policy (e.g., REDD+, and commodity certification); climate change mitigation; adaptation; natural resource management marine; terrestrial ecosystem conservation; nature-based solutions; political ecology; poverty alleviation participatory action research; citizen science; ‘just’ development transitions
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue seeks to advance interdisciplinary research and innovative practices that support the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of marine ecosystem and aid biodiversity in the face of escalating global environmental challenges. It will encompass a broad range of themes, including ecological, economic and environmental research, inclusive education and knowledge creation, marine and coastal policy frameworks, and studies on integrated methodological approaches related to the above.
This Special Issue will supplement existing literature by providing an integrated and wide understanding of marine ecosystem sustainability. While much of the current research has concentrated on either ecological dynamics or governance mechanisms in isolation, this issue will bridge these domains to enrich discussions across both the natural and social sciences. While contributions will be stand-alone, they will also link biodiversity conservation, coastal management, the blue economy, climate adaptation, and resilience-building.
In particular, we encourage submissions that incorporate interdisciplinary and/or participatory approaches, and community-centered practices. Case studies, policy analyses, empirical research, and conceptual papers are all welcome, especially those offering frameworks or models that can inform sustainable development initiatives and evidence-based policymaking for resilient and inclusive marine conservation.
Key themes include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Marine biodiversity conservation
- Ecosystem restoration and conservation
- Coastal livelihoods
- Nature-based solutions
- Blue economy and sustainable resource management
- Environmental education (with a focus of SDG4), alternative knowledge, and science communication
- Environmental justice
- Climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation
- Ocean/coastal resilience
Through this Special Issue, we aim to extend theoretical and practical insights that guide global and regional efforts toward sustainable and equitable marine futures.
Dr. Kaysara Khatun
Guest Editor
Felix Hawkings
Affiliation: King’s Business School, Kings College London, UK
Haadiyah Cassam
Affiliation: The London Interdisciplinary School, London, UK & Tower Hamlets GP Care Group CIC, London, UK
Guest Editor Assistants
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability 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 2400 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
- marine biodiversity
- blue economy
- marine and coastal governance
- ocean conservation
- environmental justice
- inclusive education and knowledge
- climate adaptation
- participatory research
- sustainable development
- community livelihoods
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