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 is proud to be the Platinum Sponsor of Coastal Futures 2025
Coastal Futures welcomes 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
Book your ticket online and view the full programme

  • AHear Professor Mel Austen's Keynote, 'Systems Thinking: Seeing and Making the Connections for Sustainable Use of Our Ocean': Thursday 30 January, 09:00

  • xJoin Dr Sian Rees at the 'Ocean Stewardship' session to discuss innovative approaches to support coastal communities: Thursday 30 January, 09:20

  • ÄVisit our exhibition stand and talk to our researchers about marine light pollution, restorative aquaculture and essential fish habitats

 

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 are 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

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