National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management
Name	National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management
Formation	2010
Type	Research institution
Headquarters	Chennai
Leader title	Director
Parent organization	Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management. The institution in Chennai operates as a specialized Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change-linked research hub with mandates aligning to coastal resilience, integrating coastal zone management practices from models used by United Nations Environment Programme, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank, and national initiatives such as National Committee on Coastal Management, National Disaster Management Authority, and Ministry of Earth Sciences. Its remit spans applied research, policy advisory, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement with agencies including Central Water Commission, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Space Research Organisation, and state departments across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Gujarat.

Overview

The centre provides scientific and technical support for sustainable coastal planning informed by datasets from National Centre for Coastal Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Indian Meteorological Department, and international datasets from National Aeronautics and Space Administration, European Space Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Global Environment Facility, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It synthesizes guidance from legal frameworks such as Coastal Regulation Zone Notification and aligns practices with standards from International Maritime Organization, Ramsar Convention, Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

History and Establishment

Established in 2010, the centre was created following needs identified by committees chaired by members associated with Planning Commission (India), recommendations from World Wide Fund for Nature, and inputs from academic institutions like Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Anna University, Madras Christian College, University of Hyderabad, and National Institute of Ocean Technology. The founding drew on precedents set by organizations such as Central Pollution Control Board, State Coastal Zone Management Authorities, Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project, and lessons from events including the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Cyclone Phailin, Cyclone Hudhud, and 2015 Chennai floods.

Mandate and Functions

Mandated to advise Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and state governments, the centre provides vulnerability assessments used alongside tools from Indian Space Research Organisation and modelling approaches from National Institute of Oceanography, National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, and Central Water Commission. Functions include mapping of habitats like mangrove, coral reef, seagrass, and estuarine systems, conducting strategic environmental assessments used by Ministry of Shipping, supporting compliance with Environment Protection Act, 1986, and informing coastal development permits applied by Maritime States and port authorities including Chennai Port Trust and Kamarajar Port Limited.

Research and Programs

Research themes integrate satellite remote sensing from Landsat, Sentinel, and datasets from Cartosat series with hydrodynamic modelling from Indian Institute of Science, National Institute of Hydrology, and statistical analyses used by Indian Statistical Institute. Programs address blue carbon accounting linked to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change protocols, restoration projects comparable to initiatives by United Nations Development Programme, Conservation International, and The Energy and Resources Institute. The centre runs capacity-building courses for stakeholders from institutions such as Coastal Aquaculture Authority, Fisheries Survey of India, Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, and universities including University of Madras and Annamalai University.

Organizational Structure

Governance aligns under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with advisory inputs from panels comprising scientists from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and policy experts linked to National Institute for Transforming India. The organisational layout features divisions for remote sensing and GIS linked to collaborations with National Remote Sensing Centre, a modelling group liaising with National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, a biodiversity team coordinating with Zoological Survey of India and Botanical Survey of India, and an outreach wing connecting to State Pollution Control Boards.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The centre maintains partnerships with national and international bodies including Indian Space Research Organisation, National Institute of Oceanography, National Centre for Coastal Research, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Global Environment Facility, International Union for Conservation of Nature, United Nations Environment Programme, and academic partners such as Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Science, Anna University, Xavier Institute of Management, Centre for Policy Research, and National Law School of India University for transdisciplinary projects.

Impact and Outreach

Outputs inform coastal policy instruments affecting ports like Kamarajar Port Limited and Paradip Port Trust, coastal communities including those in Pondicherry, Bekal, Kolkata, and Porbandar, and resource managers from Fisheries Department (India), State Fisheries Department, Tamil Nadu, and Municipal Corporation of Chennai. The centre’s datasets have supported environmental impact assessments for projects associated with Sagarmala Project, National Fisheries Development Board, and disaster preparedness initiatives coordinated with National Disaster Management Authority, State Disaster Management Authority (Tamil Nadu), and international relief frameworks led by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Category:Research institutes in Chennai