The ocean still remains one of the most important natural resources of many nations. The numerous benefits (food, climate regulation, nutrient recycling, etc.), in particular the quality of life, deriving from marine and coastal areas, have raised global concern for the adoption of sustainable strategies that guarantee the existence of marine and coastal areas in their natural state with less impact caused by externalities. The natural structure and function of coastal marine ecosystems face many environmental and ecological challenges. Key issues of sustainability of coastal marine systems are discussed below. Coastal marine environmental degradation The degree of pollution is of greatest concern when considering sustainability issues of coastal marine systems. Land-based activities such as agriculture and industries remain the main source of coastal pollution. Untreated wastewater, fertilizer runoff, pesticides, shipping, plant emissions and industrial effluents contribute to high nutrient pollution in the ocean causing the loss of many habitats in the ocean and the quality of waterfall. Dumping waste at sea is still a common practice in coastal regions, particularly in developing countries. Every day two million tonnes of agricultural, industrial and sewage waste are discharged into the world's waters (UN WWAP, 2003). Developing countries account for 70% of untreated industrial waste disposed of in waters that then flow into the sea (UN-Water, 2009). The mechanization and construction activities involved in the extraction of oil and gas in the oceans, the extraction of other minerals, and coastal tourism in the implementation of economic growth policies by governments pose a threat of coastal pollution. The unsustainable marine environment... middle of paper... systems to make life livable. Education therefore becomes a fundamental solution to coastal marine sustainability problems. Works Cited British Petroleum (1984). British Petroleum Statistical Review of World Energy. BritishPetroleum, London.Food and Agriculture Organization (2008). The state of fisheries and aquaculture in the world.UN WWAP. 2003. United Nations World Water Assessment Programme. World Water Development Report 1: Water for People, Water for Life. UNESCO: Paris, France. United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) (2012), http://www.unesco.org http://sustsci.aaas.org/files/chap15.pdf http://www. cciced.net/encciced/policyresearch/report/201205/P020120529358302221866.pdf http://www.unep.org/dewa/africa/docs/en/aeo-2/chapters/aeo 2_ch05_COASTAL_AND_MARINE_ENVIRONMENTS.pdfhttp://www.unwater. org/worldwaterday/downloads/wwd09brochureenLOW.pdf.