The Marine Adaptation Network consists of five inter-connecting themes:
• Integration
• Biodiversity & Resources
• Communities
• Markets
• Policy
The marine adaptation network will improve our understanding of, and enhance, adaptive capacity of all sectors within the marine space using an integrative model (Figure 1) of collaboration, engagement and cooperation that cross-cuts between biodiversity & resources, communities, markets and policy (including management and governance).
Figure 1: Integrative model of the Marine Adaptation Network
Mission
To enhance the adaptive capacity of Australia’s marine biodiversity and resources to climate change risks through the effective integration of our knowledge of conditions, responses and interactions involving marine biodiversity, living marine resources, socioeconomic issues, policy, management and governance
Mission
To better understand the adaptive capacity of marine biodiversity at genetic, species and ecosystem levels in the overall context of vulnerability to climate change risks and to usefully inform policy and management decision-making for the long-term conservation of Australia’s marine assets; and
To enhance the adaptive capacity of Australia’s marine based industries (including commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, and tourism) by fostering improved understanding and synthesis, and to develop adaptation strategies for industry stakeholders that optimise the socioeconomic goods and services provided by Australia’s marine resources;
The overarching aim of the Biodiversity and Resources theme within the broader network is to better understand the adaptive capacity of marine biodiversity at genetic, species and ecosystem levels in the overall context of vulnerability to climate change risks. This information is vital to enable us to usefully inform policy and management decision-making for the long-term conservation of Australia’s marine assets and to enhance the adaptive capacity of Australia’s marine based industries. There is also a clear need to develop adaptation strategies for industry stakeholders that optimise the socio-economic goods and services provided by Australia’s marine resources.
Mission
To better understand and address the barriers and opportunities to adapting to climate change among marine conservationists, resource users and industries
Adaptation of marine-dependent industries and communities to climate change occurs through social processes (e.g. the most efficient adaptation strategy may be ineffective if there are counter values and cultural norms that preclude its implementation). Similarly, assessing the vulnerability of marine-dependent industries and communities to climate change requires understanding of both the sensitivity of those industries and communities to climatic changes, as well as their capacity to respond to those changes (adaptive capacity). Thus, the aim of the Communities Theme is to better understand and address the barriers and opportunities to adapting to climate change among conservationists, marine resource users and the industries which depend on them.
Community Based Participatory Research Principles
