A framework for social adaptation to climate change: sustaining tropical coastal communities and industries

This publication draws on the most up-to-date thinking on adaptation planning and resilience to describe how managers, communities and reef-based industries can “manage for climate resilience” through the maintenance of properties that confer resilience. It outlines a framework for understanding the vulnerability of communities and marine-based industries to climate change, both through direct effects and through impacts on ecosystem goods and services. It is intended as a practical resource for coral reef and other tropical marine ecosystem managers, policy makers, conservation practitioners, academics, business and other resource user communities, government employees, reef users and scientists in tropical coastal regions.

Its introductory chapter is followed with an overview of adaptation concepts and terminology. Chapter 3 presents a framework for supporting social adaptation to climate change in tropical marine regions of the world, built on the vulnerability model presented in chapter 2. Chapter 4 focuses on application of the framework; showing how decision makers can assess vulnerability, develop resilience-building strategies, prioritise allocation of resources to come up with adaptation plans to help sustain tropical coastal communities and industries in the face of climate change.