| Project Status | Full Research (FR) |
| Duration | Apr. 2019 - Mar. 2027 |
| Research Program | Program2: Fair Use and Management of Diverse Resources |
| Project No. | 14200145 |
| Project Title | Adaptive Governance of Multiple Resources based on Land-Sea Linkages of the Water Cycle: Application to Coral Reef Island Systems |
| Abbreviated Title | LINKAGE Project |
| Project Leader | YASUMOTO Jun |
| URL | https://www.chikyu.ac.jp/rihn/activities/project/project/12/ |
| Keywords | Coral Reef Island System, Land-Sea Linkages of Water Cycle, Use and Management of Natural Resources |
Research purpose and content
Objectives and background
Coral reef islands distributed from the tropics to the subtropics have long relied on inherently limited freshwater resources such as groundwater and springs. Water plays a key role in connecting land and sea, sustaining coral reef ecosystems and people’s livelihoods through small-scale hydrological cycles. In recent decades, however, land-use change and socio-economic transformation have intensified pressures on both water quantity and water quality, raising concern over hydrologically mediated degradation of coral reef ecosystems. These pressures are further compounded by climate change, including shifts in precipitation patterns, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification, which together have serious impacts on the use of natural resources in island societies. Under these conditions, strengthening adaptive governance is essential to ensure the sustainable use of island water and fisheries resources and to build systems capable of responding to climate and social change.
Against this background, this project addresses three interlinked challenges on coral reef islands—declining and contaminated water resources, degradation of coastal ecosystems, and loss of ecosystem services. Centered on Land–Sea Linkage mediated by water circulation, the project aims to clarify interaction structures among multiple resources (e.g., water resources, forests, and coral reef ecosystems) and to develop theoretical and practical models of adaptive governance that enable their sustainable use. By comprehensively understanding water circulation as a mediator between land and sea from natural, social, and cultural perspectives, the project seeks to establish a coherent body of knowledge for reconstructing human–nature relationships under changing environmental conditions.
Specifically, the project will employ several interconnected approaches, including natural-science approaches—stable isotopes, environmental tracers, and metagenomic analyses—to elucidate the realities of land–sea water circulation and to assess and predict multi-resource responses to climate and socio-economic change. In parallel, historical-ecological methods will be used to reveal the cultural values and connections embedded in island life and to explore mechanisms that maintain community capability in resource-limited island communities. In addition, through behavioral science and institutional analysis, the project will clarify layered social structures and norms that link local governance with global institutions. By bridging scientific, local, and policy knowledge and visualizing their relationships, the project will promote knowledge integration and the creation of new values.
Through these interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, the project will conduct comparative research across coral reef islands in the western Pacific—including the Ryukyu Archipelago, Indonesia’s Wakatobi Islands, and Fiji—to identify both shared principles and diverse manifestations of adaptive governance under different cultural, institutional, and social conditions. Ultimately, the project aims to strengthen adaptive governance of multiple resources with water circulation as the central axis and to present a knowledge framework that contributes to the realization of resilient, nature-positive societies on coral reef islands.
How does the research contribute to the solution of the global environmental problems?
Global environmental change is driven by interacting pressures—climate change, biodiversity loss, land-use change, and pollution—pushing the Earth system beyond planetary boundaries. Coral reef islands exemplify this convergence: global-scale forcing directly intersects with local transformations in livelihoods (agriculture, livestock, fisheries, tourism) and governance. Excess nutrients delivered through groundwater, submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), and surface runoff disrupt nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and can accelerate coral bleaching and reef degradation.
This project advances an integrative, water-centered Land–Sea Linkage framework by combining: (i) hydrological and geochemical quantification of groundwater flow and material transport (including tracers/isotopes and numerical modeling), and (ii) ecological analysis linking nutrient/organic matter dynamics to coral and macroalgal community responses. By explicitly formalizing groundwater-mediated land–sea pathways and their ecological consequences, the project provides a scientific basis for multi-resource management that is transferable across island contexts. It also extends “Ridge to Reef” by incorporating social and cultural dimensions alongside biophysical processes, thereby strengthening the basis for integrated land–sea management.
By connecting scientific findings with local institutions, values, and practices, the project enhances adaptive capacity through learning and collaboration. Importantly, the project targets not only “conservation” but the continuous redesign of human–nature relationships under environmental change, grounded in locally embedded knowledge and decision-making. Comparative research enables bidirectional translation between locally grounded solutions and international frameworks (e.g., UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, SDGs, COP), supporting the co-design of governance arrangements that remain effective under accelerating environmental and socio-economic change.
Methodology, structure and schedule
The project is organized into four units spanning natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Each unit conducts specialized research while outcomes are integrated through knowledge bridging to support social implementation.
1) Land–Sea water/material cycles (Natural System Unit; NU)
NU quantifies land-to-sea fluxes of water, nutrients, and organic matter via groundwater/SGD/river runoff by integrating field observations with geochemical analyses (nutrients, trace elements, stable isotopes, tracers) and numerical modeling (e.g., 3-D circulation/groundwater models such as GETFLOWS and MODFLOW 6). Across islands with contrasting geology (limestone vs volcanic/complex geology), NU identifies dominant pathways and controlling conditions (freshwater lens scale, geomorphology, land use). NU also links nutrient dynamics to ecological responses through coral/macroalgal surveys and establishes exchangeable phosphate in seawater (EPS) in submarine sediments as an integrative indicator of land-based phosphorus loading, enabling the definition of thresholds (critical conditions) relevant to coral reef health.
2) Biocultural diversity and community capability (Community Capability Unit; CCU)
CCU reconstructs historical transformation of human–nature relationships through historical ecology, integrating archival documents, place names, oral traditions, and landscapes. It clarifies cultural values, ethics, norms, and practices that sustain community capability in resource-limited island settings and positions these as cultural/ethical foundations of adaptive governance. CCU also advances practical knowledge transmission through community-based learning and intergenerational engagement.
3) Institutions, perceptions, and behavior (Governance Unit; GU)
GU analyzes how institutions, norms, and perceptions shape environmental decision-making, using policy-text analysis, surveys (including framing experiments), and stakeholder interviews. It synthesizes multiple cases (including LINKAGE) to identify enabling conditions for adaptive governance and examines constraints such as institutional gaps/voids, providing a bridge from empirical insights to policy design.
4) Knowledge bridging and co-creation (Knowledge Bridging Unit; KU)
KU integrates outcomes across units through visualization, dialogue, and co-creation, building interfaces among scientific knowledge, local knowledge, and policy knowledge. Tools and practices include P+MM (Projector + Mapping Model) for land–sea integrated mapping, participatory action research, science education, and dialogical settings using video/art and historical photographs. Collaborative platforms (e.g., regional roundtables, councils, workshops) are implemented across sites (Yaese Town, Sekisei Lagoon, Wakatobi, Fiji) to support transdisciplinary learning and social implementation.
Comparative synthesis and FR roadmap
Cross-site comparisons extract common principles and context-specific pathways of adaptive governance. Integration is achieved by linking CCU’s cultural/ethical foundations and GU’s institutional/perceptual analyses with KU’s co-creation practices, clarifying transitions from endogenous co-creation to institutionalized co-creation.
FR phase (FY2022–FY2026): FY2022–23 deepen unit research and initiate knowledge-bridging practice; FY2024–25 conduct overseas comparative fieldwork (Wakatobi, Fiji) and develop an integrated database; FY2026 systematize outcomes and disseminate via a book (tentative: Land–Sea Linkage), peer-reviewed papers, international symposia, and local feedback/policy recommendations.
Expected results
1)Scientific outcomes
The project provides quantitative evidence for how land-based loads, mediated by groundwater/SGD pathways, affect coral reef ecosystems. Key deliverables include:
• an integrated model linking land-based nutrient loading (especially phosphorus) to coral cover/bleaching responses,
• Exchangeable phosphate in seawater EPS-based threshold conditions as an integrative indicator of cumulative terrestrial influence, and
• cross-island generalization of mechanisms under different geology/climate/land-use settings.
High-resolution environmental records (e.g., microatoll cores capturing multi-decadal change, including isotope signals consistent with post-industrial atmospheric CO₂ trends) complement process-based flux quantification and strengthen causal interpretation. These outputs provide an evidence base for defining management targets for reducing land-based phosphorus loads and mitigating reef degradation.
2)Societal outcomes
Scientific evidence is incorporated into deliberative platforms where researchers, officials, and residents share information and co-develop options for land–coast management (e.g., regional roundtables and restoration councils). Comparative synthesis will identify enabling conditions for participatory decision-making and flexible administration, supporting practical adaptive-governance models tailored to local contexts and informing policy measures to reduce land-based loads. By strengthening evidence-to-policy pathways, the project supports the institutionalization of adaptive governance at the local level.
3)Educational and international outcomes
Action-research-based education and outreach strengthen “learning together” as a foundation for governance, while training early-career researchers through interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration. International partnerships (e.g., with Indonesian and Fijian institutions) expand a Land–Sea Linkage research network, enabling long-term development of an Asia–Pacific platform for adaptive governance. These activities function as co-creation hubs for capacity building, including the development of “translators” who can bridge science, communities, and policy.
Project organization and membership
The project is led by the Principal Investigator and implemented through four units spanning natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Units conduct specialized research in parallel, while the Knowledge Bridging Unit integrates and visualizes outcomes to support coherence and social implementation. This structure simultaneously operationalizes (1) interdisciplinary collaboration, (2) international comparison, and (3) collaboration with local communities, ensuring translation of research outputs into societal action.
Challenges and achievements for this year
Project overall progress
1. Transformation of land–sea Linkage systems driven by climate change and changes in industrial structure
1) Integrated understanding of water and material cycles
On Yoron Island, we drilled microatolls at four lagoon sites and obtained continuous annual banding records (~30–100 years). Carbon isotope signals indicate the Suess effect since the Industrial Revolution, providing high-resolution regional archives relevant to climate-change impacts.
We integrated 3-D water-circulation models (GETFLOWS, MODFLOW 6) with field observations (groundwater flow, submarine spring/SGD discharge, river discharge) and geochemical analyses to quantify water/material fluxes and the relative contributions of land-based sources. Across “high islands” (e.g., Ishigaki) and “low limestone islands” (e.g., southern Okinawa, Yoron, Kuroshima, Tarama), we demonstrated that groundwater discharge is a major pathway delivering phosphorus and organic matter to coastal waters. On Kuroshima, where groundwater forms a freshwater lens, we further showed that organic phosphorus derived from livestock waste is microbially converted to inorganic phosphorus and subsequently exported and accumulated on the seafloor (stable isotopes and microbial community analyses).
2) Relationships between coral reef communities and material dynamics (phosphorus, organic matter, etc.)
Laboratory rearing experiments using juvenile corals showed that nutrient load (concentration × inflow flux), rather than phosphate concentration alone, is a key constraint on skeletal formation. Even at low phosphate concentration (0.5 µM), high-flow conditions markedly suppressed calcification, indicating that “low concentration can still inhibit growth when inflowing load is high” and that load-based evaluation is essential.
In the Sekisei Lagoon, statistical analyses revealed that higher exchangeable phosphate in seawater (EPS) in seafloor sediments is associated with reduced coral abundance and increased tendencies of bleaching and algal cover. Many genera (including Acropora) showed significant negative relationships, whereas Porites and Montipora showed weaker/no clear relationships, suggesting tolerance differences. EPS hotspots far exceeding threshold levels were frequently observed near areas influenced by intensive agriculture/livestock and shrimp-aquaculture effluent, implying strong land-based human impacts. Together, these results support a quantitative mechanism whereby land-derived phosphorus is transported via groundwater, accumulates in sediments, and contributes to coral community simplification.
2. Impacts of declining socio-cultural community foundations on multiple resources
1) Building a collaborative research structure with local communities and forming international networks
We built a collaborative framework involving not only researchers but also artists/cultural practitioners, local NPOs, community museums, boards of education, local governments, and private companies. Formal agreements with Indonesian partners (HOU and ITBMW) strengthened an Asia–Pacific-oriented research network and established a platform for interdisciplinary and cross-boundary research centered on biocultural diversity.
2) Knowledge transmission on islands and strengthening social resilience
Using participatory action research with biocultural diversity cards, we examined resource-use practices, narratives/memories, and social norms on “high” and “low” islands. Findings indicate that (i) transmission of locally adapted Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) /techniques, (ii) flexible inter-island networks, and (iii) multiple leadership are key factors supporting resilience. To explore ways to reflect and communicate intangible cultural values, we conducted practice-based research through art and education (e.g., “Songscapes around the spring waters of two islands” on Ie Island; “Rice paddies in Yaeyama schools” with the Ishigaki City Board of Education). Outcomes were published as the LINKAGE Booklet / Art Book Series. In December 2024, we conducted a pre-survey in the Wakatobi Islands (consultations with local governments and partner universities; interviews with stakeholders in seaweed farming, community tourism, small-scale fisheries, NPO activities, and women’s groups), collecting baseline information relevant to UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BR). A joint retreat was scheduled for 2025 to continue dialogue and advance action research.
3) Visualizing local memory and knowledge of nature-based resource use
On Yoron Island, we collected and digitized ~5,000 historical photographs through the “Yunnu old-photograph survey on island nature and livelihoods.” In collaboration with the National Museum of Japanese History, we developed an open-access community archive and a digital exhibition platform, which has been expanded into multi-generational learning programs with local education and community partners.
3. Adaptive governance of multiple resources
1) Social surveys on perceptions and norms
We conducted framing experiments on protected areas and tourism promotion (e.g., “tourism” vs. “environmental conservation” framings in World Heritage contexts) and found no significant differences, suggesting multi-dimensional value integration. During the COVID-19 period, we also identified that trust in science and cultural biases shape environmental perceptions. Comparative analysis between Japan and Indonesia indicated that interest in groundwater is relatively low in Japan but comparable to river water in Indonesia, highlighting culturally contingent “invisibility of water.”
2) Behavioral change and institutional analysis
In the Sekisei Lagoon region, we observed increasing interest in composting livestock waste, indicating early signs of voluntary behavioral change toward reducing land-to-sea loads. We also gathered evidence on tourism-driven transformation and institutional background of coral reef islands, collected policy documents in Okinawa and Kagoshima, and explored linkages with UNESCO BR frameworks.
3) Theorizing adaptive governance
Through systematic review and case surveys, we identified three elements supporting adaptiveness—(1) diverse actors/capacities, (2) shared recognition of risk/uncertainty, and (3) institutionalization grounded in cultural and geographic contexts —and proposed a “learning social system” framework for responding to climate and socio-economic change.
4. Knowledge co-creation through dialogue and collaboration: practicing adaptive governance
1) Development and implementation of knowledge-bridging tools
We developed and implemented knowledge-bridging tools (P+MM, board games, locally grounded learning programs) in regional roundtables and science classes (Yaese, Tarama, Yoron, Okinoerabu). In Yaese Town, we visualized decision-making processes on water use and watershed management and created opportunities for residents to engage in policy formation. Science classes strengthened a cross-generational foundation for “learning together.”
2) Integrating scientific knowledge with local practice
We shared EPS–coral findings with the Sekisei Lagoon Nature Restoration Council, contributing to Ishigaki City’s “Shin (New) Coral Rangers” initiative. In Taketomi Town, discussions on establishing a compost center have begun, indicating progress from evidence to policy/action.
3) Deepening co-creation through boundary objects
Old-photograph workshops created spaces for residents to share memories and narratives of environmental change, strengthening motivation for conservation action and community-building.
Results achieved this year
1. Transformation of land–sea interaction systems driven by climate change and industrial changes
This year, in addition to the Sekisei Lagoon, we prioritized overseas field campaigns in Wangi-Wangi (Indonesia) and Rakiraki (Fiji). We confirmed a clear relationship between EPS in seafloor sediments and the terrestrial phosphorus load estimated using the Kuroshima water-cycle model (MODFLOW 6). Based on this, we proposed an allowable-load estimation method using an EPS threshold for Acropora habitat (≈ 0.6 µg P g⁻¹), contributing to science-based management criteria grounded in load rather than concentration.
On Wangi-Wangi, the combination of a 3-D water-cycle model (GETFLOWS) and field observations indicated that groundwater is a key pathway supplying phosphorus to reef areas, while groundwater phosphorus concentrations remain very low. We also observed a strong negative relationship between EPS and Acropora cover, with indications of impacts on genus-level diversity, suggesting that EPS may help structure coral zonation while overall reef condition remains relatively healthy—consistent with effective control of land-based loads. In Rakiraki, historical land conversion associated with sugarcane expansion likely promoted soil erosion and turbidity increases, contributing to reef decline. Cross-island comparison under different geology and industrial structures advanced understanding of the compound impacts of climate forcing and human activities; remaining tasks include incorporating seasonal variability and strengthening watershed-scale material-cycle analyses.
2. Impacts of declining socio-cultural community foundations on multiple resources
We expanded approaches developed in the Ryukyu Arc to Wangi-Wangi and Fiji, establishing collaborative arrangements with local counterparts. On Wangi-Wangi, participatory research (life-history interviews, TEK, documentation, photo collection) documented concrete cases where local norms and practices are being institutionalized through economic incentives and administrative resource governance—relevant to BR policy contexts. In the next Fiscal year, we will conduct a focused follow-up fieldwork to examine how such institutionalization affects resource access, distribution, and compliance in daily life.
In Fiji, workshops helped organize the history of resource use and current challenges and strengthened the trust base for co-research. In the Ryukyu Arc, we published an art book and held a local feedback meeting (March 2025), and we are preparing a digital map based on text mining of ~90,000 folktales. Future work will apply a common interview instrument internationally to compare how norms and distribution structures shape resource management.
3. Adaptive governance of multiple resources
We designed a comprehensive social survey for Wangi-Wangi (planned for Nov–Dec 2025) to quantify residents’ perceptions of water resources, environmental change, and tourism impacts across livelihoods, health, and ecosystem valuation. A March 2025 internal survey also clarified cross-disciplinary collaboration issues (goal sharing, coordination, time management) and provided actionable insights for strengthening organizational learning; we additionally initiated policy-document content analysis.
To strengthen the theory, we introduced “Institutional Void” and reviewed 318 Scopus-indexed original articles, confirming its usefulness for visualizing why environmental governance fails. This concept helps explain policy delays and implementation gaps by highlighting missing coordination mechanisms and weak linkages between scientific evidence, institutions, and local decision-making. Next, we will apply this framework to island environmental policy research and develop mechanisms to fill institutional gaps.
4. Knowledge co-creation through dialogue and collaboration: practicing adaptive governance
We developed a Wakatobi-version common survey instrument on biocultural diversity and began operating it with ITBMW, alongside co-design of dialog-based education aimed at fostering “translators.” We continued community besed activities (Yoron old-photo exhibition/archive; rice-farming practice in Yaeyama primary schools, and water-cycle learning; classes on “water–coral connections”).
We also held an International Workshop (Okinawa/Iriomote) with Wakatobi partners after multiple preparatory online sessions, using the workshop as a platform to jointly define research questions and co-design field monitoring/action-research protocols toward next year’s on-site implementation. In Hoshitate Village (Iriomote), residents established the Yuipitu Charter, and community-led monitoring has started. Cross-sector exhibitions and public talks further disseminated outcomes and strengthened the social basis for adaptive governance.
Results can be evaluated as having overfulfilled
We demonstrated, for the first time, a clear negative relationship between exchangeable phosphate on seafloor sediments and coral bleaching and declines in coral cover, thereby quantitatively indicating—also for the first time globally—the potential involvement of phosphorus dynamics in coral bleaching processes. This finding is academically significant because international discussion has increasingly emphasized nitrogen as a driver of bleaching, a trend that is also being reflected in the ongoing IPCC assessment process. In addition, by clarifying the quantitative linkage between EPS and terrestrial phosphorus loading, we provided a concrete foundation for establishing science-based management criteria, which goes beyond our initial objectives.
Points to be evaluated that the goals were not reached
A key challenge is to integrate these outcomes into multi-scale policy recommendations beyond the island scale and to strengthen connections with the program-wide theoretical frameworks (e.g., adaptive governance and institutional voids). In particular, further effort is needed to (i) train and strengthen “translators” who can bridge scientific knowledge and social implementation, and (ii) advance toward the institutionalization of social learning through international comparative research. In the next fiscal year, we will leverage the international collaboration framework established this year and accelerate efforts toward internationally relevant institutional design.
Notable achievements and challenges as to contribution to the RIHN programs
This project has generated concrete outcomes aligned with the guiding principle of the “Co-Creation Program for Earth–Human Systems,” which aims to understand and redesign systems in which human societies and natural environments can sustainably adapt under global environmental change. Through an interdisciplinary approach integrating land and sea, and by positioning water-cycle research as a nexus linking material cycles, ecosystems, and social structures, we substantively operationalized collaboration across natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, thereby strongly contributing to the program’s core objective of knowledge co-creation.
Scientifically, we clarified the relationship between EPS and coral bleaching/diversity decline and presented a quantitative indicator that links land-based loads to marine ecosystem responses. This provides a new perspective beyond nitrogen-centered discussions and opens a pathway for advancing coastal governance research under climate change. Socially and culturally, we promoted visualization of local governance through collaboration between TEKand scientific knowledge. Through initiatives such as the Hoshitate Village “Yuipitu” Charter, old-photo workshops, and rice-farming educational materials, we successfully institutionalized and educationalized mechanisms that enable residents to engage proactively in environmental management. As a result, the social foundations supporting a co-created Earth–Human system have progressed substantially.
Future tasks
Research plan for next year
1) Theoretical deepening and generalization of the integrated land–sea model
We will integrate FR4 results (water circulation, material dynamics, EPS thresholds) across islands and finalize a quantitative integrated model linking land-based loads to coral-reef responses. We will expand it from local to watershed/island scales and systematize it as a transferable land–sea coupled model adaptable to different geology, climate, and land-use conditions. We will also formalize “groundwater-mediated land–sea linkage,” including freshwater-lens structure and the role of SGD, to strengthen the scientific framework of Land–Sea Linkage research.
2) Connecting theorization and institutionalization of adaptive governance
We will theoretically organize linkages among collaboration, learning, and institutionalization based on outcomes from local councils, science classes, roundtables, and historical photo research. Using the key elements (shared goals, monitoring/evaluation, social learning, mediation/support, diversity maintenance), we will theorize how TD social learning can be translated into institutions. By analyzing cases in Yaese Town and the Sekisei Lagoon area, we will clarify conditions for sustaining collaboration and the nature of institutional support, and propose an institutional model of adaptive governance.
3) Building a new integrated framework including carbon cycling
Building on the international network formed in FR4, we will develop toward integrated management of land, sea, and carbon. Through collaboration with AICaS, we will examine the scientific mechanisms and governance significance of CO₂ fixation in coral reefs and establish a concept of “Land–Sea–Linkage” that incorporates carbon, with potential implications for environmental policy and ESG investment. We will position SWIM2027 as an international hub for integrated coastal research by organizing cross-cutting sessions spanning SGD, land–sea linkage, and blue carbon.
4) Deepening knowledge-bridging and social implementation
Using knowledge-bridging tools such as P+MM, locally developed teaching materials, and arts/video methods, we will give back our achievements to the community, increase the contribution to education, and policy recommendations. In particular, we will translate dialogue outputs from roundtables and science classes into educational curricula and build a sustainable practice base that supports next-generation capacity building and social transformation. We will explore pathways that root adaptive governance in society by linking research outcomes to institutions, education, and cultural practice.
Tasks for the next fiscal year onward
1) Challenges identified through project implementation and response strategies
1.Institutional design for integrated land–sea governance
While local councils are becoming established, frameworks that translate scientific evidence into policy/institutions remain insufficient.
Response: Promote implementation of adaptive governance through tri-sector collaboration (local governments–researchers–residents) and advance institutionalization that links scientific indicators with social decision-making.
2.Systematizing interdisciplinary integration and social-learning theory
Interdisciplinary research has progressed, but stronger systematization is needed to connect practice and theory.
Response: Refine adaptive process-management theory through cross-case comparison and generalize practical knowledge.
3.International expansion and blue-carbon linkage
Blue carbon is a key direction for LINKAGE, requiring integration with water-circulation research.
Response: Use AICaS and the SWIM2027 network to incorporate carbon cycling into the Land–Sea–Linkage framework and expand outcomes across the Asia-Pacific region.
2) Requests regarding the Institute’s support system
1.Support for international joint research: stronger support for overseas survey permits, accounting procedures, and sample transport.
2.Positioning of integrated water–carbon research: place integrated themes including blue carbon within institutional priority areas.
3.Support for outreach and education linkages: support education/exhibition programs communicating adaptive governance outcomes, and support for hosting international conferences after the project ends.
3) Closing summary
This project has aimed to improve community resilience by reconfiguring land–sea relationships around water circulation. In the final year, we will theorize and systematize adaptive-governance practices, and develop toward an integrated model encompassing water, nutrients, and carbon. By leveraging international frameworks (e.g., SWIM2027, UNESCO, COP), we will connect LINKAGE outcomes to global island and coastal research, contributing to a resilient, nature-positive society.