YANCHENG, China, Sept. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Sept. 24, at the opening ceremony of the World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference, the report State of the World's Coastal Ecosystems was released. For the first time, the report provides a systematic assessment of the distribution, changes, and key drivers of 13 types of coastal ecosystems worldwide. It also reviews global practices in conservation, restoration, and sustainable development, and provides priority recommendations for action.
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This marks a key outcome of the World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference, and reflects the very purpose of its inception -- to advance ecological conservation and sustainable development in coastal regions worldwide, and to provide public knowledge products and solutions for global coastal governance.
As China's first coastal wetland World Natural Heritage site, the Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetlands, with their unique ecological environment and rich biodiversity, have become a model for global ecological conservation.
At 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 prioritized ecology, developing a set of nature-based solutions and building a comprehensive conservation system that spans from migratory habitat protection to wild population restoration. Through a three-stage strategy of"introduction and population expansion-behavioral adaptation-rewilding, " the number of Milu Deer (Père David's Deer) has grown from 39 introduced individuals in 1986 to more than 8,500 today, with reproduction, survival, and annual growth rates ranking first in the world. At the same time, leveraging its natural endowments in wind and solar resources, Yancheng has pursued green development and built a full-chain new energy industry system covering research, manufacturing, and operations.
"Yancheng reminds us that wetlands are not obstacles to development -- they are assets for sustainable development," said Carlos Aldeco, representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to 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 stated in his keynote speech, "We are turning our focus to the ocean and plan to explore with Yancheng the development of a new integrated offshore energy system combining wind, solar, and hydrogen storage, building new green 'oil fields' at sea, and creating a global-leading new petroleum industry hub."
With the addition of new partners, the number of the World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference partners has increased from the initial 15 to 25, further expanding its "international circle" and broadening the cooperation network. Centered on the theme "Beautiful Coasts: Ecology Priority and Green Development," stakeholders gathered in Yancheng to jointly discuss, build, and share experiences in the ecological protection and sustainable development of global coastal regions. Aminath Hussain Shareef, Minister of State for Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Maldives, said, "No nation can face these challenges alone. Global collaboration, through platforms such as this Forum, is vital. We need to scale up the exchange of knowledge, technology, and finance to protect coastal ecosystems, support sustainable blue economies, and build climate-resilient communities."
Source: The World Coastal Forum 2025 Conference
Contact person: Mr. Ling, Tel: 86-10-63074558
