This paper looks at whether the United Nations Declaration of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 can be properly applied to coastal ecosystems. The paper describes what coastal ecosystems are, why they are important, what is currently threatening them and why they are declining. The authors examine what will be required to restore coastal ecosystems successfully over the next decade, including the capability and capacity of states to conduct restoration, the availability of trans-disciplinary teams, policy, and funding availability.