Climate-SMART Marine Protected Areas Designing marine protected areas with explicit consideration eRe eae eee RCM aCe} climate change. The first climate-SMART MPA in the country has em ee me eee ne (leer ean gM aes ‘The Coral Tsiangle has the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world, with more than 500 species of coral, at least 3,000 species of fish and the greatest remaining mangrove forests on Earth, benefiting more than 150 million people. Its high biodiversity is only paralleled by the diverse threats to its persistence. Climate change further aggravates local pressures through: + sea surface temperature (1-4°C warmer by 2100) + sea levels (~30-60em rise by 2100) + typhoons / storms (Frequent and intense) [Hloegh-Guldberg et al. 2009) Protecting seascapes, corridors, and habitats remain the most efficient ‘mechanism for buffering against climate change impacts. How does MPA design change if climate change threats are considered? Resilience isthe capacity ofa system to recover to its pre-isturbance state following perturbations, Given the costs and effort put into establishing MPAs and MPA networks, its important to ensure that the areas selected for protection can withstand or recover from natural disturbances an improve ‘ecosystem functioning, Principles of resilience in MPA design [adapted from Mc.cod etal. 2009} 1. Spazal the tisk: protect major habitats and replicate aceoss diferent scales 2.Drotet critical areas: migration soutes, spawning aggregations, cule nesting sites, et 3. Consitce connectivity partems: choose mutually seplenishing sites and set proper size and spacing of MPAs 4- Encompass in a brouder management framework: maintain minimum ecological functioning outside the MPA by regulating pressures fore taNalN INTERNATIONAL, Cn Sustainably Managed, Adaptive, CS ale Targeted Talat) Protected NTSVulnerability Assessment: identifying climate-resilient MPAS Identifying areas for protection that can better withstand the impacts of climate change require knowledge of the possible vulnerabilities of warious habitats to these impacts. Information derived fom historical satellite images, biodiversity surveys, and socioeconomic scoping provide measures of sensitivity and exposure to climate change projections. Vulnerability is assessed when these potential impacts are weighed against the ability of ecological and social systems to cope with expected changes (e., adaptive capacity). (On top of previous information requitements for establishing, es resilient MPAs, identification and incorporation of sites with Sea suface temperature neeas nthe Verde land _Jow climate impact vulnenbilies for protection results in Pscnpehiall peel dclenaial climate-reslent MPA configurations. Conservation Aveasmerkedingreen hav lover temperature changes See PER LET ena ieee cree international’ vulnerability assessment ofthe Verde Island [oa ot 2008 Passage represents the first comprehensive analysis of climate Climate SMART MPAs move beyond identifying ateas 7 Matting eclogieal fncion, that are inherently esilent to potential climate change ‘economic benefits, and socio-cultural impacts by incorporating social acceprabiiry, adaptive | Mlanaged identity forthe welhbeing of most management, ax! response mechanisms in the MPA numberof people and for the next management plan. “Resilience” and “adaptation” ar teneration both taygeted to sustainably manage cimate-SMART MPAs. These MPAs benefit from rigorous selection of climate chonge impacts while elimate-resiien areas ani farther enhanced through | Aggprive _Sddresting te most pressing sues adaptation mechanisms that actively respond ro extreme | AY cig eet ma climatic events (e9,,policies geared toseards responsive eerie ‘Sustainably Setting active responce systems to and reactive, as opposed to passive, management) Govemance also seales up as climate-SMART MPAs «The area should have the inherent require large areas for protection that entails active inter- ‘capacity to recover after a goverment collaborations and resource sharing Resilient disturbance and remain ecologically . functional inthe face of changing e climate Site selection was targeted in order to Targeted _achieve the primary objectives of MPA establishment ‘The Lubang-Looe Marine Protected Areas Philipines) Is the fist limate-SMART IMPAin the country and itis alzo the first MPA which is contiguous and jointly man ‘aged by two LGUs. It applied c's emate change vunerablity assessment of the ‘Verde Island Passage in its design and has explicit provisions for alowing ful closure of fishery management areas when needed. Conservation international - Philippines ‘No. 6 Maalalahanin Street, Teachers’ Village, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 ae = Philippines (Tel. No, +632 924 8235; Fax No. +632 435 64446) g L http://mwanusct.org/ USAID “*ssows!se6 http//ww.conservation.org.ph/sss