ABSTRACT
The chapter focuses on coastal environments associated with some of the communities and countries that are most dependent on the seas. It focused on understanding decision-making related to coastal and marine governance that impacts communities and environments with high sensitivity and exposure to hazards associated with global environmental change. The chapter explores the role of women, indigenous people, and other vulnerable populations in low-income parts of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Substantial progress is being made to realise policies that effectively address marine pollution, overfishing, and other ecological stresses. This is being achieved through participatory, flexible institutions. However, governance capacity and policy enforcement can be lacking and are made more challenging by the impacts of climate change, not least sea-level rise and worsening tropical storms.
