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.

Apart from dissemination of information, the Communities Theme is actively working on several major initiatives to help build the capacity of marine researchers, communities, decision makers, and industries to respond to climate change. Some of these initiatives include:
• Development of an on-line social and cultural meta-database of relevant climate change adaptation research nationally and internationally;
• A toolkit for participatory marine research projects – including protocols for participatory research; case studies; and other examples of “how to” undertake participatory research with marine resource users; and
• A searchable calendar of events (e.g., workshops, conferences, and forums) relevant to Network stakeholders.

While many studies have focused on the adoption of new technologies and practices of marine industries, few studies have focused on the ability of marine-dependent industries and communities to adapt to climate change.

The Communities Theme provides a mechanism for marine researchers, communities, decision makers, and industries to access the tools and information needed to better respond to climate change.

To engage with the Communities theme, please forward your contact details to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Meet the Communities Team

Theme Leader
Prof Tim Smith is the Director of the Sustainability Research Centre at the University of the Sunshine Coast.  His research interests lie in the area of sustainability science, coastal management, social and institutional dimensions of climate change, adaptive capacity and community engagement. His role as Communities Theme Leader of the Network incorporate all aspects of his research interest.




Co-theme Leader
Dr Melissa Nursey-Bray (University of Tasmania - Australian Maritime College) is a lecturer at the National Centre for Marine Conservation and Resource Sustainability. Her research foci is in investigating how communities can participate in environmental decision making. Her current work includes development of risk assessment tools for local government so as to build adaptive capacity, development of curriculum and training packages in climate change adaptation for professionals and various projects that focus on how to build social-ecological resilience within Indigenous and non Indigenous fisheries. She is also Director of the Social Science for Climate Change Research Network (SSCCRN).

Partner Organisers
Dr Nadine Marshall is a social scientist at CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems based in Townsville. Her research has looked at both an conceptual and operational understanding of social resilience, vulnerability and adaptive capacity of resource users to changes in resource policy. Most of her work has been based within the commercial fishing and cattle grazing industries of north Queensland. Much of her current work is based on understanding climate adaptation processes, including transformative changes, in Australian primary industries.


Prof Chris Cocklin (James Cook University) research and teaching interests are in resources and environmental policy, agriculture and rural communities, global environmental change, sustainable development, and corporate environmental management.