Coastal Futures 2025

Platinum sponsors of the largest ocean conference of its kind in the UK
Aerial view of Plymouth with colour gradient
The University of Plymouth was the Platinum Sponsor of Coastal Futures 2025.
Coastal Futures welcomed over 750 delegates from over 200 organisations to share research, knowledge and developments on the theme of 'The path to 2030' – a pivotal date set by international goals and government targets for our environment.
29–30 January 2025
Royal Geographical Society in London and online

  • AProfessor Mel Austen delivered the Keynote, 'Systems Thinking: Seeing and Making the Connections for Sustainable Use of Our Ocean'.

  • xDr Sian Rees Chaired the 'Ocean Stewardship' session, which discussed innovative approaches to support coastal communities

  • ÄResearchers discussed marine light pollution, restorative aquaculture and essential fish habitats on our exhibition stand

 

Our delegation

 

Catchment to coast research for transformative change

The University of Plymouth champions a whole-system, transdisciplinary approach to solutions-oriented research, covering the wide breadth of areas that were incorporated into the six Coastal Futures 2025 themes: land-sea interactions, sustainable seas, across the water, ocean stewardship, future fishing and restoring nature. A selection of this research can be seen below.

Marine light pollution

Understanding and managing the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) for healthy seas.

Artificial light at night on the coast of Liguria with light pollution in sea water
Artificial city lights on water in a harbour at night
Busy bridge and riverside road

Restorative aquaculture

Pioneering research in Marine Protected Areas and building the evidence base for the ecological impacts and benefits of offshore aquaculture.

Getty lyme bay
Mussels clumped together on rocks at Whitsand Bay in Cornwall
Fish ropes

Essential fish habitats

Identifying and mapping early habitat needs for commercially important fish species.

A small team of five men sample fish in a marsh
Fish intel 
Sampling at a sandy beach in Cornwall: even very shallow areas can be important habitats for a range of different flatfish species

Coastal Futures in action

  • University of Plymouth exhibition stand at Coastal Futures 2025

    Catchment to coast for transformative change

  • Opening address of the Coastal Futures 2025 conference by Emma Hardy MP, MInister for Water and Flooding

    Opening address by Emma Hardy MP, MInister for Water and Flooding

  • Dr Thomas Davies speaking to delegates at the Coastal Futures 2025 Conference

    Dr Thomas Davies, Associate Professor of Marine Conservation speaking to delegates on the topic of marine light pollution

  • Professor Mel Austen presents the Keynote on Day Two of Coastal Futures 2025 conference

    Professor Mel Austen delivering the Keynote on systems thinking

  • Dr Sian Rees chairing the 'Ocean Stewardship' session at Coastal Futures 2025 conference

    Dr Sian Rees chairing the 'Ocean Stewardship' session

  • Dr Emma Sheehan speaking to delegates at the Coastal Futures 2025 conference

    Dr Emma Sheehan speaking to delegates on the topic of restorative aquacuture

Research groups and units

Drone flight over Slapton Sands for blueCOAST Project

Coastal Processes Research Group (CPRG)

Man fishing in small boat above coral reef. 

Marine Conservation Research Group

Lyme Bay Emma Sheehan

applied Marine Ecosystems Research (aMER)

Research institutes and centres

Close-up wave

Marine Institute

Plymouth, UK: Marina Drone Photos, credit: Drone Motion Stock, courtesy of ShutterstockCentre for Systems Thinking lead image

Centre for Systems Thinking: Ocean, Land and Society

Abstract image of a hand holding planet earth with symbols around it. 

Centre for Decarbonisation and Offshore Renewable Energy