Vulnerability assessment to climate change
Vulnerability assessment was conducted to identify hotspots of climate change vulnerability and adaptation options that help to strengthen and/or maintain the site’s resilience, focusing on the MPA’s conservation targets. They allow an understanding of the status of bio-ecological and social targets with regards to climate change impacts and give guidance on how to increase their resilience. They were guided by multi-expert and multi-partners processes. Results will guide the revision of existing management plan.
Multi-expert process considering linkages between MPA conservation and social targets but not a stand-alone analysis - Adapting renown methodology to local context and particularly to available data - Involvement of a GIS team in the VA process considering that the final outcome is a multi-target vulnerability map, one key decision tool for MPA managers to tackle future CC impacts - Use of standard and credible VA methodology that will allow to compare results from one site to another site.
Linkages and synergies between each target vulnerability assessment should be established. A common scale is needed to produce an overall MPA vulnerability map and particularly to identify the most vulnerable area within the MPA that merits particular attention. Lack of data should not a barrier to start a VA, it can be complete by traditional knowledge. Simplify but credible VA methodology will help to move quickly to adaptation action in the ground instead of spending more than three years in this process.