Aim of the study: Globally, the increasing environmental shocks in coastal zones of tropical regions are crippling human-ecological systems’ interactions that promote sustainable development. The uni-dimensional nature of environmental shocks is increasing the environmental vulnerabilities of coastal people who heavily depend on marine and environmental resources. Current policies on resilience are mainly linear thus negating coastal communities’ ability to develop synergies for adaptation and mitigation.Material and methods: We used the Iceberg model of systems thinking to identify local system dynamics in relation to vulnerability to environmental shocks and the 3 Horizons framework to qualitatively identify the preferred options that can lead to a preferred future involving avenues for increasing women’s resilience to environmental shocks in coastal areas, using Valiathura in Kerala as a case study.Results and conclusions: We developed a novel Three Horizon (3H) framework that links current system indicators in Valiathura, which could be used to understand environmental shocks and how to navigate through such shocks. Based on the developed framework, we identified possible pathways in Valiathura that can be used by coastal people and regions in other jurisdictions to promote sustainable change from Horizon 1, and 2 to Horizon 3 such as increasing women’s knowledge of environmental shocks and leveraging the historical strategies used by coastal women to increase resilience against environmental shocks. Therefore, to develop sustainable actions in coastal zones affected by environmental shocks, a focus on understanding the dynamics of the system is key to understanding system interactions and feedback that can inform actions, which promote transformative change, for instance, related to adaptation and mitigation.

Aim of the study: The value of fish resources to socioeconomic development is immense. However, there is growing evidence that loss of quality in the marine environments e.g. marine waters at sea and coastal freshwater zones is threatening the availability of livelihood resources e.g. fish resources evidenced by the dwindling fisheries resources that promote sustainable livelihood. Cognizant of this, several fisheries institutions, governments, and local users have come up with several strategies to boost marine water environment management and promote sustainable fishing. Unfortunately, most of the initiatives have not fully managed to repulse unsustainable practices e.g. marine water pollution that leads to loss of wild catches and leads to unsustainable fishing practices. Material and methods: Owing to this we use a mixed research methods approach involving a systematic literature review and field survey in Alappad to argue and present a case for governments and fishery management organizations to invest in data analytics as a new pathway that can give a comprehensive, near real-time view of both ocean resources and coastal fishing activities in light of the declining fish stocks and escalating environmental problems e.g. marine water quality loss e.g. due to pollution. Results and conclusions: Findings documented that by using data analytics, governments, and fisheries management organizations/individuals may respond more swiftly to external forces like climate change, and marine water quality loss and implement new policies and regulations thus promoting sustainable fisheries management. Local perspectives of coastal communities could also guide the best data analytics tool or method to be used.

Wetlands are crucial ecosystems that promote sustainable livelihood and biodiversity conservation, especially in tropical regions. However, recent studies have reported increasing threats to wetlands both environmental and human which threaten the provision and acquisition of several wetland benefits. Though there is recognition of the value of wetlands, in most local communities in Uganda; especially around the Lake Wamala region in Mityana district, there is still limited knowledge and research on the benefits of wetlands and the level of threat thus affecting wetland governance. This research addresses this gap by using participatory research to create a baseline inventory that could be used by wetland managers to identify the main wetlands threats to inform policy on how to develop participatory actions and local area-based management practices. The study was conducted in 14 sub-counties and a sample of 105 wetlands along the wetlands of Lake Wamala and River Mayanja wetlands system in Mityana District was captured. Study findings revealed increased human threats to wetlands especially in the River Mayanja seasonal wetlands zone. The increased effects of environmental threats such as climate change are also altering permanent wetlands along Lake Wamala. Our developed inventory based on local participants' perspectives revealed that since the level of damage to wetlands in Mityana especially the permanent wetlands is relatively low, a focus on developing new mapping, and a decentralized approach to wetland management that focuses on capacity building, development of wetlands action plans, increased support to local wetland authorities, and a system thinking approach in wetland threat identification and management could help in the regeneration of most wetlands zones.

Increased women’s participation and employment in coastal activities in India is envisioned as a critical pathway towards a sustainable blue economy (BE). However, few studies have comprehensively explored the level/nature of women’s (un)employment and participation in coastal activities in India. This could derail the attainment of sustainable livelihoods and transformative equity targets embedded under India’s BE framework, Maritime Vision 2030, and Amrit Kaal 2047 agenda among others. A systematic literature review of 93 documents is conducted to (i) explore the level of women’s (ex)inclusion in India’s coastal activities, (ii) uncover the systemic drivers (inhibitors/enablers) of women’s participation and employment, and (iii) use a system thinking perspective to highlight the interconnections of various drivers and kickstart avenues for women’s empowerment. Findings reveal that India has innumerable coastal resources that could drive women’s employment and participation in the BE. Coastal activities, such as fishing and services, have relatively higher prospects for women’s employment. However, there is limited women’s participation in coastal activities prioritized under the BE framework. Mostly, women participate in informal, secondary/indirect, and less lucrative BE activities. Livelihood vulnerabilities are forcing coastal women to engage in highly masculine jobs. Although prospects for increased women’s participation in coastal activities are emerging, systemic impediments are still prevalent, including (i) socio-cultural impediments (especially social marginalization of coastal women) (ii) economic barriers (mostly poverty), (iii) environmental challenges (iv) institutional bottlenecks (e.g., limited participation of coastal women in decision-making, co-governance, and leadership), and (v) psychological impediments (including vulnerability to diseases and psychological stress). Most of the barriers are interconnected, necessitating the use of a system-thinking perspective to guide holistic women’s inclusion in the BE. The developed system thinking map indicates the interactions between the various barriers to women’s empowerment. Increasing women’s participation in BE activities requires a holistic understanding of coastal human-ecological system interactions, rather than using fragmented, specific coastal zone strategy/ies or development mechanisms for or in a few coastal communities/people/states. By holistically obtaining transformative narratives or perspectives from different coastal communities, inclusive and collaborative mechanisms could be developed. Future research can focus on participatory engagements with coastal women, to gain novel viewpoints and perspectives on how sustainable women’s empowerment should be charted, and what it should involve.