The UN General Assembly declared 2022 the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development and the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture. This conference highlighting hill and coastal ecosystems reiterated the significance and vulnerability of ecosystems in the context of climate change, the importance of livelihoods dependent on ecosystems, and the tribal and rural communities that are
traditional custodians of ecosystems. The inaugural session set the tone for the three-day technical sessions. In his keynote address, Essam Yassin Mohammed (WorldFish and CGIAR, Malaysia) emphasized the importance of keeping aquatic life safe since it acts as a carbon sink, adding that adaptation and mitigation efforts in
and through aquatic food systems must underpin all policies seeking to address climate change resilience. M. S. Swaminathan (M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Chennai) recommended conserving genetic heritage and indigenous knowledge from tribal communities while iterating coastal and hilly restoration as essential for sustainable human health. The 32nd MSSRF Annual Report was released, and the ‘Every Child a Scientist’ Centre at
Poompuhar was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Siva V. Meyyanathan (Minister for Environment and Climate Change, and Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Government of Tamil Nadu, India).