Message from the Organizing Committee Recife, Pernambuco - Brazil Integrated Management of Coastal Environments and Environmental Impacts is the focus of the 5th International Meeting of the Waters - 5 IMW, promoted by the Universidade Católica de Pernambuco in partnership with the Brazilian Navy - Port Authority of Pernambuco, Vale do São Francisco Hydro Electrical Company - CHESF, Ministry of Environment - Department of Water Resources and the Brazilian Association of Environmental Engineering - ASBEA. This theme is appropriate to the current situation experienced by all countries around the world. Waters are an essential resource to life, thus it is fundamental to discuss their relationships with men once the survival of future generations directly depends on the decisions that are being taken today. The coastal systems are highly diversified, ranging from polar, temperate, subtropical and tropical environments. Several types of ecosystems with different levels of biological productivity are found in the coastal zone, covering a land portion and another marine. Historically, mankind has always sought a portion of coastal lands to establish their populated areas. Currently, it is estimated that around 60% of the world's population is established in a range of 60 km land strip bounded by the sea. The consequences of the growing pressures of use and occupation of the coastal systems by urban sprawl, industrial, port, agriculture and tourism activities have promoted significant changes in hydrodynamics, geomorphology, biology and ecology of coastal environments. As a result of the degradation and loss of habitat and biodiversity decline has been a reduction in the quantity and quality of goods and services provided by natural coastal systems to human population. The increasing environmental degradation by pollution and contamination of coastal ecosystems has, indeed, brought risks to public health through the spread of diseases carried by water and by contaminated food. In addition, the increasing risks that coastal ecosystems are subject due to climatic (storms, floods, tsunamis), biological (blooms of harmful algae, introduction of exotic species) and anthropogenic (leakage/spillage of oils and other toxic substances) factors must be taken into consideration. It should be taken into account that face of the global climate changes, the environmental risks may be aggravated. In this scenario, integrative interventions have been promoted through articulated programs of integrated coastal management in order to improve the flow of goods and services of coastal ecosystems and reduce the impacts and environmental risks. Therefore, it is clear the need for integration of biological, physical, socioeconomic and cultural dimensions in these programs. Thus, the 5th International Meeting of Waters is a forum where the discussion of such problems will be carried out without fundamentalisms, based on rationality and comparison of alternative solutions, with researchers, technicians, managers and decision-makers operating in the water world which is the world of all of us. The ingredients for a meeting full of interest exist in quality and quantity. Therefore, your presence and contribution are essential, both taking advantage of the debates, conferences, courses and technical communications or through the invited speakers and authors of communications, which will contribute to the formation and professional consolidation of each one of you. Arminda Saconi Messias
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