Warren Baverstock
With the increased awareness of the vulnerability of coral reefs and the vital role that they play in supporting nature and people, there is an urgent need to build coral reef resilience into marine conservation efforts globally, including in global policy frameworks.
In 2019, the ad hoc Committee on Resilience-based Management conducted a survey seeking information about ICRI members’ needs around RBM. A key result of the survey was that 69% of participants identified that a lack of understanding of RBM was a barrier to implementation. Recognising the need to address this knowledge gap, the Committee developed a Policy Brief and animation to provide guidance for decision makers on what they could do to support RBM from a policy perspective.
This briefing is intended to de-mystify RBM and support decision makers to prioritize actions that build reef resilience and deliver on global biodiversity and sustainability commitments
Animation:
Resilience Based Management Case Studies
Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation Planning Tool
A tool to help build resilience and adaptive capacity into marine protected area management in the face of a changing climate
Using citizen science to monitor ecosystem health
Integrating citizen science and education to fill knowledge gaps and enable better management.
Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) Control Program
A COTS Control Program on the Great Barrier Reef, working towards greater reef resilience.
Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area
An area based management tool protecting herbivores to enhance reef resilience.
Master Reef Guides Program
An education program on the Great Barrier Reef, combining the interests of tourism and management to work towards greater reef resilience.
Co-management of a small scale Caribbean fishery
Working towards sustainable livelihoods and healthy reefs through collaborative area based management
Policies and Plans:
List of major policies and plans to support RBM implementation
Other Relevant Resources:
- UN Environment Coral Bleaching Futures – downscaled projections of bleaching conditions for the world’s coral reefs, implications of climate policy and management responses.
- UNEP Projections of Future Coral Bleaching Conditions using IPCC CMIP6 models: https://www.unep.org/resources/report/projections-future-coral-bleaching-conditions-using-ipcc-cmip6-models-climate
- UN Environment Guide to Assessing Coral Reef Resilience
- UNEP Coral Reef Restoration Guide: https://www.unep.org/resources/report/coral-reef-restoration-guide-coral-restoration-method
- Link to UNEP Coral Reef work: https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/oceans-seas/what-we-do/protecting-coral-reefs
- Resilient Reefs overview
- Reef Resilience Network: https://www.reefresilience.org/
- ICRI Restoration Hub