Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • NATURE INDEX

Why coastal megacities should look inland for research collaborations

As coastal populations surge, partnerships between inland and coastal researchers could be essential for climate adaption.
By
  1. Bec Crew

    1. Senior editor, Nature Index

The lights of buildings in Tianjin, China are seen reflected in water at night

Coastal cities such as Tianjin in China rely on research to help tackle challenges such as subsidence. Credit: Coleman photographer/Shutterstock

Much of humanity lives close to the shore. A 2024 study estimated that in 2018, around 2 billion people lived within 50 kilometres of a coast, with half of them — about 15% of the world’s population — settled within just 10 km (A. G. Cosby et al. Sci. Rep. 14, 22489; 2024). Coastal zones are also growing faster than inland areas: between 2000 and 2018, some 460 million people moved to the coast, a shift the authors liken to adding 46 new megacities of 10 million residents each.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03528-0

This article is part of Nature Index 2025 Science cities, a supplement produced with financial support from the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park. Nature maintains full independence in all editorial decisions related to the content. Advertisers have no influence over the content. For more information about Nature Index, see the homepage.

Subjects

Latest on:

Nature Careers

Jobs

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing

Search

Advanced search

Quick links