Remote Sensing of the Coastal Zone: An ever-growing concern for coastal sustainability

Since the beginning of this century, human activities have increasingly gravitated toward coastal areas with a marked rise in their frequency and intensity. This trend has progressively disrupted the balance between humans and natural systems to the point where anthropogenic pressures in many coastal areas have outweighed those induced by natural processes. In this case, research on the coastal zone has taken on heightened significance and urgency, particularly in relation to the challenge of achieving coastal sustainability. Traditional data collection approaches and analytical techniques are becoming inadequate for addressing the complex scenarios in the coastal zone, failing to meet the demands of an ever-growing array of emerging topics. Remote sensing, as a data-intensive tool, has been widely applied in coastal studies for a long time, witnessing their evolution. As the research paradigm shifts toward sustainable development, the continuous integration of these two fields presents promising prospects while also posing emerging challenges. More specifically, can remote sensing meet the escalating data and technical requirements demanded by coastal sustainability research? From a remote sensing viewpoint, this article revisits its historical roles and contributions in coastal studies, with the aim of evaluating its potential applicability to the pursuit of coastal sustainability. Facing the impending challenges, we further detail recent advancements in remote sensing data and techniques, giving in-depth consideration to both the resolved and emerging problems from coastal sustainability studies, ultimately charting strategic pathways for future opportunities. By bringing together all achievements in the adoption of remote sensing across coastal regions and examining its role in Earth system science, we present a clear and systematic overview of coastal remote sensing and its applicability to the issue of coastal sustainability.