A programme to study the status and threats facing 25 deltas worldwide
Delta communities, research institutes
Support sustainable development in delta regions
Deltas, located at the interface of land and sea, are dynamic regions heavily influenced by terrestrial and marine factors. However, these areas are facing increasing environmental pressures due to factors such as population growth, urbanization, and climate change. These pressures cause coastal erosion and subsidence, flooding, freshwater supply, energy provision, pollution, and loss of biodiversity. These issues hinder the achievement of the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) in deltaic regions, such as eradicating poverty (SDG 1), ensuring clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), and promoting sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11).
The Mega-Delta Programme, also known as "Mega-Deltas: Seeking Solutions for Sustainable Issues", is a comprehensive initiative aimed at improving the preservation of human habitation in mega-delta regions. The main goal of the program is to develop a revised development strategy that considers the unique challenges and varying levels of socio-economic development present in different types of deltas within the context of global change. This will be achieved through collaborative efforts across multiple disciplines and sectors. Ultimately, the program seeks to protect the well-being and long-term stability of these critical deltaic environments.
The Programme is led by the East China Normal University.