U.S. Coral Reef Task Force

Climate Change Working Group

  • Introduction
  • Accomplishments
  • Documents

Introduction

Background: At the 18th U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) Meeting in 2007 in American Samoa, the USCRTF adopted Resolution 28:2: Coral Reefs and Climate Change Renewed Call to Action – reaffirming the commitment of the members to work together to understand, reduce, and adapt to the impacts of climate change on coral reef ecosystems.

Issue Statement: Climate change and ocean acidification continue to intensify as global threats to coral reefs. As USCRTF Federal and State/Territory agencies and partners document ongoing and accelerating declines in coral reef ecosystems, there is a rising urgency to design and implement climate change adaptation measures that will enable successful management in light of these changes. This requires accounting for, and adjusting to, the effects of climate change and ocean acidification across all coral reef conservation, mitigation and restoration efforts. Only by understanding and adapting to the effects of climate change and ocean acidification will it be possible to meet the USCRTF mandate to protect and enhance the condition of coral reef ecosystems and safeguard their sustainability for future generations.

Actions: The USCRTF commits to increasing its efforts across Federal and State/Territory agencies to:

  • Advance Integration Across the Task Force of climate change adaptation concepts and measures throughout USCRTF plans, programs and activities.
  • Continue to support Vulnerability and Adaptation Science through development of advanced methods and tools to: assess the vulnerability and resilience of coral reef ecosystems to climate change and ocean acidification; and design effective adaptation responses.
  • Facilitate information transfer from Science to Management and support capacity building for application of vulnerability and adaptation planning tools and enable their application to practical management actions on the ground.

Accomplishments

Actions: The USCRTF commits to increasing its efforts across Federal and State/Territory agencies to:

  • Continue to support Vulnerability and Adaptation Science through development of advanced methods and tools to assess the vulnerability and resilience of coral reef ecosystems to climate change and ocean acidification; and design effective adaptation responses.
  • Facilitate information transfer from Science to Management and support capacity building for application of vulnerability and adaptation planning tools and enable their application to practical management actions on the ground.
  • Advance Integration Across the Task Force of climate change adaptation concepts and measures throughout USCRTF plans, programs and activities.

Vulnerability & Adaptation Science

Resilience-based Management:

Regional Resilience Assessments:

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  • Assessing relative resilience potential of coral reefs to inform management in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (2015)
  • Coral reef resilience to climate change in Saipan, CNMI; field-based assessments and implications for vulnerability and future management (2012)
  • Project Repository – includes data files, webinars and related documents
Florida
  • Coral reef resilience to climate change in the Florida Reef Tract (2017)
Hawaii
  • Relative resilience potential and bleaching severity in the West Hawaii Habitat Focus Area in 2015
  • Reefs for the future: Resilience of coral reefs in the main Hawaiian Islands
  • Project Repository: includes data files and additional documentation
USVI – St. Croix
  • Assessing the relative resilience of the coral reefs of St. Croix, USVI

Adaptation Planning (Corals and Climate Adaptation Planning Project)

Climate-smart Design (CCAP Adaptation Design Tool)

  • Adaptation Design Tool: Corals and Climate Adaptation Planning (User Guide)
  • Online Course

Integration Across the Task Force

Documents