The paper presents data on the environmental forcing of the Kara Sea and results obtained during the study of the coastal dynamics and coastal permafrost. It includes data on the composition, cryogenic structure and ice content of the Quaternary sections of the Kara Sea. The geomorphological structure of coasts and their dynamic coastline types are considered as well. Erosional coasts are shown to amount to less than 20 % of the total extent of the coasts. Dynamics of the erosional coasts is given for different sites of theKara Sea coast. The maximum coastal retreat rate was recorded in M?rr?-Sale area (WesternYamal) in 1989 and was about 3.5 m/y. An average multiyear coastal retreat rate varies from 1.4-2.0 m/y on Yugorskiy peninsula coast and Western Yamal up to 0.5 m/y and less on the Gulf of Ob coast and in Enisey Bay.