In the framework of the of the Interreg Med project MPA-Adapt "Guiding Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) through the climate change era: Building resilience and adaptation", a capacity building workshop on adaptation to climate change in Mediterranean MPAs was held in Bonifacio (Corsica, France) from June 13-15th, 2017.

The objective of this workshop, organised by the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, was to provide guidance to MPA managers, MPA staff involved in management activities and local administrations on adaptation management in response to climate change impacts on marine and coastal environments.

Representatives of MPAs from France, Italy, Croatia, Greece and Malta have participated in this training, including both the project partners and invited MPAs. The training was structured in a way to allow them time for experience and information exchange in smaller regional groups. Moreover, they have had the opportunity to meet local stakeholders from Bonifacio area, such as divers and fishermen, and to become familiar with the hosting MPA, the Strait of Bonifacio Nature Reserve. By defining the already existing and the future climate change-related effects for each MPA and the potential measures to reduce them on a local scale, the participants were able to develop preliminary drafts of adaptation plans for their MPAs.

The next training in the framework of this project is planned for October 2017 and will deal with climate change vulnerability assessments more in detail. It will provide a framework for the project partners to understand and apply case-specific assessments in the MPAs, in order to facilitate and enhance MPA's skills for assessing vulnerabilities of habitats, species and ecosystem services to climate change.

This workshop training is part of the project MPA-Adapt, which aims at providing capacity building for effective management, conduct risk assessments and develop potential actions and priorities needed to ensure the adaptability and resilience to climate change of biodiversity and local communities in Mediterranean MPAs.

For more information: Maria del Mar Otero

Photo: © IUCN-Med | MPA-Adapt family photo