Coastal risks and resilience learning

Abstract

The hazards that particularly affect local coastal communities require education that is conducive to the development within planetary boundaries. The paper analyses the features of education for resilience and sustainability based on good practice and the principles stipulated in strategic documents on sustainable development issued by international organizations and professional associations. In developing the curricula for strengthening resilience, focus should be placed on deeper learning about local knowledge, on stimulating local sustainability, systems thinking, integrating teaching about the environment and responsible citizenship into all school subjects. To achieve the objectives proposed it is necessary to enhance whole-institution approach and bridge the divide between the subjects in humanities and STEM areas by providing courses which afford insights into connections between various disciplines required for perceiving local and global issues and the solutions thereto, and to implement citizen science. Resilience thinking should be embedded in planning and strategic environmental assessment procedures for a wide range of themes and activities affecting coastal area environment and its communities.