Many world estuaries and coastal environments are under tremendous stress in response to the increased anthropogenic forcing and climate change. A good understanding of the current state of these marine environments and lessons learnt from these human influences would be extremely valuable to restore and protect these habitats and ecosystems from further environmental degradation and catastrophe. This article provides a synthesis in which the latest research addressing the physics, sedimentary processes, biology, chemistry, and ecological processes is associated with these rapidly changing estuarine and coastal environments. It will explore the challenges and opportunities for future research in China's estuaries and coastal waters around the world.