Addressing climate change requires political commitment and global action
Irrespective of what might occur in any individual MPA, the most significant requirement to address the impacts of climate change is global action on GHG emissions. All nations must reduce GHG emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement, with the aim to limit an increase in mean global surface temperatures to no more than 1.5°C.
Globally, emissions must be reduced to net zero by mid-century (Levin et al., 2019). While this is way beyond the responsibility of an individual MPA manager, it is the overriding context within which you must consider the future of your MPA – and your role in raising public and political awareness to ensure real action.
Countries with maritime environments also have a key role in upscaling effective protection for marine ecosystems to rebuild resilience, as well as implementing sustainable practices for all industries and uses across the ocean. Increased political commitments at various levels can assist MPAs to fulfil their potential, build resilience and play their part in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
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The need for sufficient MPAs and resourcing
MPAs can provide areas of reduced local stress, improving the ability of marine organisms to adapt to climate change. Well-integrated MPA networks can increase species survival by allowing species to move and escape other pressures, such as unsustainable fishing. In addition, MPAs or zones within MPAs where stressors are controlled can become scientific baselines (i.e., research sites) to help monitor the effects of climate change.
In reality, there are tremendous differences in technical, institutional and financial capabilities for adaptation to climate change between developed and developing countries. Many MPAs have insufficient human and financial resources for basic conservation and management, let alone for effective climate adaptation and mitigation. Furthermore, MPAs are often placed in locations that avoid local threats (Kuempel et al., 2019) (see Module 4 MPA monitoring in the face of climate change Q&A and Module 4 Considering climate change in MPA design Q&A), although this is not always the case (e.g., Maynard et al., 2016).
The current worldwide paucity of highly protected and permanently protected MPAs (currently <8% of the world’s oceans) limits their ability to support widespread climate change adaptation and mitigation. Added to this is a spatial disparity: around 80% of the surface area of MPAs is within the jurisdiction of just seven countries. The high seas, which cover over half the Earth, still lack an effective framework for establishing MPAs.
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