Coastal communities are on the frontlines of three accelerating drivers of global change: climate change, economic development, and the expansion of area-based conservation, leading to a scenario we refer to as 'triple exposure'. Despite efforts to maximize social benefits from climate, development, and area-based conservation initiatives, externally driven processes can sometimes converge to amplify vulnerabilities and inequalities. Pre-existing social injustices increase the sensitivity of affected individuals to social, environmental, and policy change, and limit their capacity to adapt to, or benefit from, the interacting impacts of triple exposure. Beyond recognizing triple exposure, we argue that external implementing agencies cannot effectively and equitably achieve climate, economic, and conservation goals without prioritizing social justice and building general resilience. To advance this justice and resilience orientation, we recommend that climate, development, and conservation actors seek to: 1) address root causes of vulnerability, namely pre-existing social injustices; 2) use participatory systems approaches to improve understanding of the local context and potential (un)intended consequences of proposed initiatives, and; 3) develop and leverage inclusive partnerships between diverse actors to facilitate the collaborative design and implementation of identified strategies. In a world of rapid change, these strategies-applied together, and adapted to the local context-offer an opportunity to develop coastal initiatives that support wellbeing, justice, and resilience within coastal populations.