The 2025 World Coastal Forum (WCF) opened Sept. 24, 2025 in Yancheng, east China's Jiangsu Province, bringing together more than 300 delegates from 36 countries to address global coastal conservation challenges and sustainable development strategies.
Situated along the Yellow Sea coast, Yancheng is home to China's first coastal wetland World Natural Heritage site. It boasts the world's largest intertidal mudflat system and serves as a vital hub along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway – a migratory route known for hosting the highest number of endangered species and facing some of the most severe conservation challenges.
This marks the second time since 2023 that Yancheng has hosted the World Coastal Forum, reflecting its growing role in global coastal governance and ecological preservation.
The forum marked the debut of the Global Coastal Ecosystem Status Report, a comprehensive analysis evaluating 13 distinct coastal habitat types across the globe, tracking their geographic spread, population trends and environmental pressures.
Participation surged as the forum's institutional partnerships jumped from 15 to 25 organizations. Host city Yancheng showcased its coastal management achievements and advocated for strengthened international partnerships in environmental protection and carbon-reduction efforts during the event's launch.
Yang Zhen, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Xin Changxing, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Jiangsu Provincial Committee, and Guan Zhiou, minister of natural resources, shared their insights on coastal ecosystem conservation at the forum.
It was affirmed at the Forum that adhering to ecological priority and green development has become a common choice for global sustainable development. The remarkable achievements of Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetlands in biodiversity conservation and green low-carbon development over the past 40 years serve as a vivid practice and outstanding example of the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. The Forum called for the establishment of an integrated land-sea ecological governance system, promoted the protection and sustainable utilization of coastal World Natural Heritage sites, internationally important wetlands, and migratory bird flyways, and strived to better balance high-level protection and high-quality development in coastal regions.
After in-depth discussions, "Yancheng Consensus" are reached. https://www.worldcoastalforum.org/newsinfo/3097734.html
