Conference Tracks

About the Conference

Coastal, marine, and maritime environments are under intensifying pressure from climate change, pollution, overexploitation, unsustainable development, and shifting geopolitical tensions. These interconnected challenges accelerate biodiversity loss, threaten livelihoods, deepen existing inequalities and ultimately undermine, progress toward global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

From a South African national perspective, insights from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) Coastal Climate Change Adaptation Response Plan (CARP) underscore the need for integrated, inclusive, and adaptive responses that bridge science, policy, and local realities. Building coastal resilience requires innovative, multidisciplinary approaches that strengthen governance, incorporate traditional knowledge, and are grounded in social and environmental justice.

In this context, the International Conference on Coastal, Marine, and Maritime Research (COMMRE 2026) comes at the right time. The COMMRE 2026, jointly hosted by the University of South Africa (UNISA), the DFFE and partners, offers a critical platform for knowledge exchange, showcasing cutting-edge research, local innovations, and transformative partnerships to address the urgent and complex challenges facing ocean and coastal systems.

Objectives of the Conference

To foster cross-sectoral, inter, trans and multi-disciplinary dialogue on emerging issues in coastal, marine, ocean, and maritime research.
To promote evidence-based solutions that enhance resilience, sustainability, and inclusivity in ocean governance.
To facilitate inclusive knowledge exchange on innovative tools and technologies ranging from digital ocean platforms, blue carbon accounting, early warning systems, AI applications, and locally appropriate nature-based solutions.
To cultivate youth leadership, early career ocean professionals (ECOPs), and institutional capacity in coastal and marine sciences.
To contribute to shaping a shared continental and global agenda on coastal resilience and ocean governance.
To spotlight indigenous, community-led, and gender-responsive approaches in coastal adaptation and maritime livelihoods.
To explore and promote innovative financing models, enabling regulatory reforms, and strategic partnerships including climate and ocean finance instruments.
To engender cross-disciplinary, intra/international collaborations in coastal, marine, ocean, and maritime research.

The conference will run under six (6) thematic areas designed to guide abstract submissions and ensure thematic coherence and diversity. However, submissions are not limited to these thematic and sub-thematic areas.

Climate Change, Coastal Adaptation and Displacements

Nature-based solutions for coastal protection
Sea level rise, storm surges, and extreme events
Climate vulnerability mapping and early warning systems
Coastal Risk Assessments and Vulnerability Mapping (including the use of IKS)
Resilient Coastal infrastructure & urban planning
Financing coastal adaptation and relocation
Extreme weather preparedness in coastal areas
Mapping displacement risks in coastal and Island communities
Legal frameworks and rights of climate migrants
Climate-Induced Coastal Displacement and Migration (including gendered impacts of coastal displacements)
Hazards-induced conflicts in coastal regions
Unlocking ocean-based solutions to climate change (e.g., blue carbon and ecosystem-based mitigation)
Disaster risk reduction and management (inclusive of early warning for all and people living with disabilities)
Policy, law and governance of climate adaptation and relocation

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

Plastic and microplastics pollution monitoring and circular economy solutions
Land-sea interactions and watershed management
Marine debris tracking and clean-up technologies
Governance of transboundary coastal pollution
Urban wastewater and estuarine health
Ecosystem-based management in ICZM
Youth, Gender, and Inclusive Coastal Development
Ocean Literacy, Coastal and Marine Education
Intergenerational Ocean storytelling and cultural heritage
Participatory mapping and local knowledge systems
Coral reef and mangrove restoration
Area based marine management and marine protected areas
Ocean acidification and ecosystem shifts
Ocean health
Policy perspectives

Ocean Observation, Technology and Governance

The Law of the Sea
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)
Maritime boundary disputes and cooperation frameworks
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing
Blue diplomacy and regional governance
Ocean justice and human rights at sea
Port security, piracy, and maritime crime
Community-based Ocean governance
Underwater Ship Husbandry (UWSH)
Ocean Observation
Digital twins of the ocean and virtual observatories
Satellite remote sensing and geospatial analytics
AI for ocean monitoring, prediction, and risk mapping
Autonomous underwater vehicles and robotics
Open data platforms and citizen science integration
Blockchain and traceability in fisheries
Policy perspectives

Sustainable Blue/Ocean Economy and Maritime Issues

Blue/Ocean economy frameworks and national strategies
Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture value chains
Eco-tourism and cultural heritage in coastal zones
Port modernization and climate-smart shipping
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Block Chain Technology and ports
Public-private partnerships in blue investments
Marine renewable energy and offshore industries
Maritime and alternative maritime livelihoods
Maritime safety and security
Oceans for trade and investment facilitation
Shipping and Logistics
Advances in Marine Engineering
Advances in Nautical Sciences
Circular economy practices in maritime industries
Seafarers
Managing the ocean to sustainably feed the global population
Equity and access issues to the blue/ocean economy
Policy perspectives

Ocean Accounting, Blue Financing and Coastal Sustainability

Blue bonds and innovative finance instruments
Public sector budgeting for ocean governance
Private sector investment and risk-sharing models
Cost-benefit analysis of coastal adaptation projects
Results-based finance and impact measurement
Quantifying Ocean-Based Carbon Sinks
Economic Valuation of Marine Ecosystem Services
Integrating Biodiversity and Carbon in Ocean Natural Capital Accounting
Mainstreaming Ocean Accounts in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Policy perspectives

Marine Biodiversity, Coastal and Marine Tourism

Sustainable Coastal Tourism Development
Climate Change and Coastal Tourism
Marine Wildlife and Ecotourism
Tourism Innovation and Technology
Cruise Tourism and Maritime Transport
Adventure and Sports Tourism
Coastal tourism and cultural exchanges
Blue Infrastructure and Coastal Design
Beach profiling and management
Deep-sea and pelagic biodiversity
Marine protected areas and biodiversity corridors
Threatened species and conservation innovations.
Invasive species management in coastal areas
Policy perspectives

Target Participants

Academics and researchers across all disciplines, including but not limited to oceanography, marine science, ocean governance, geography, and climate science.
Government Officials, Policymakers and regulatory agencies
Civil society organizations and Indigenous knowledge holders
Coastal city planners and port authorities
Private sector actors in maritime industries
Donors and international development partners
Students and early-career ocean professionals (ECOPS)
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), Community- Based Organisations (CBOs)

Expected Outputs

Special issues in international peer-reviewed journals
Edited books with globally recognised publishers
Multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborative research initiatives