A recipe for boosting reef resilience
The Australia Caribbean Coral Reef Collaboration is assisting CARICOM nations to strengthen the foundations for sustainable development by helping coral reef managers build resilience of coral reef ecosystem. Led in the region by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, the partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority strengthens networks, builds capacity and delivers new tools and approaches for helping coral reefs and reef-dependent communities cope with climate change.
The program of activities includes a Regional Plan of Action, a number of Collaborative Projects and a Resource Portal.
The program is a key contribution to implementation of Climate change and the Caribbean: a regional framework for achieving development resilient to climate change (2010-2015). This major CARICOM initiative aims to reduce vulnerability and build the resilience of social, economic and environmental systems to the threats of climate change.
Regional Plan of Action
Program partners are working together to develop and implement a Regional Plan of Action for reducing coral reef vulnerability in a changing climate. The plan will provide a regional vision for building resilience of coral reefs to climate change and identify key needs and opportunities for national and international initiatives.
Five collaborative projects are being implemented to enhance knowledge exchange between Australia and the Caribbean region, especially in priority areas such as biodiversity conservation, integration of social and economic considerations, strategic coastal management, stewardship and reef health assessment.
Project activities are being coordinated with existing activities and organisations within the region to ensure integration and sustainability of project benefits.
The projects include:
Marine biodiversity offsets: toward no net loss of biodiversity in a changing climate
Outlook reporting: Building climate change into integrated coastal management
Monitoring multi-tool for managers: A monitoring protocol for meeting the information needs of decision-makers
Building social resilience into reef management: guidance to help managers integrate social and economic considerations into decisions
Reef stewardship: A Caribbean program for harnessing people power for reef management
A dedicated Climate Change Adaptation Resource Portal is being developed to provide a one-stop shop for coral reef managers and policymakers seeking the latest and best concepts, tools and resources for managing coral reefs in a changing climate.