Search the SPREP Catalogue

This study provides information and insights about the community engagement strategies in current practice by Marine Protected Area (MPA) managers and community members throughout the United States. Until now, no synthesis of these efforts has been completed. Recognizing this gap, the National Marine Protected Area Center commissioned an external report on community engagement to be undertaken by Master's students at the University of Michigan. Through a literature review, interviews with MPA managers and community members, and an online survey, this report addresses the identified need. Common challenges to community engagement identified by MPA managers and community members are communication, involvement, representation, resource limitations, preconceptions, and staff expertise. Principles of community engagement are: to be proactivite; to be clear about purposes and terms; understand, validate, and speak to the community's concerns; start early with clear expectations; be responsive; be inclusive; build on common needs and goals; and recognise that it all begins with relationships. MPA managers described six objectives for community engagement: 1) to increase awareness and raise visibility of the MPA; 2) to enhance understanding and support for the MPA's purpose and resources; 3) to sustain forma and/or informal communication and collaboration with community members; 4) to encourage MPA-beneficial stewardship behaviours within the communities; 5) to enable others to help advance MPA objectives; 6) to instill community ownership and pride in the MPA. Moving forward, we encourage managers to draw inspiration from the community, celebrate small victories, and share ideas and inspiration.

The inextricable links between climate change and sustainable development have been increasingly recognised over the past decade. In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)1 concluded with very high confidence that climate change would impede the ability of many nations to achieve sustainable development by mid-century and become a security risk that would steadily intensify, particularly under greater warming scenarios. Article 4.8 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) lists several groups of countries that merit particular consideration for assistance to adapt to climate change “especially: (a) small island countries, (b) countries with low-lying coastal areas, c) countries with areas prone to natural disasters.” Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have characteristics which make them particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, sea level rise (SLR) and extreme events, including: relative isolation, small land masses, concentrations of population and infrastructure in coastal areas, limited economic base and dependency on natural resources, combined with limited financial, technical and institutional capacity for adaptation.2

The nations of CARICOM16 in the Caribbean together with Pacific island countries contribute less than 1% to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (approx. 0.33%17 and 0.03%18 respectively), yet these countries are expected to be among the earliest and most impacted by climate change in the coming decades and are least able to adapt to climate change impacts. These nations’ relative isolation, small land masses, their concentrations of population and infrastructure in coastal areas, limited economic base and dependency on natural resources, combined with limited financial, technical and institutional capacity all exacerbates their vulnerability to extreme events and climate change impacts. Stabilising global GHG emissions and obtaining greater support for adaptation strategies are fundamental priorities for the Caribbean Basin and Pacific island countries. CARICOM leaders recently unveiled their collective position that global warming should be held to no more than 1.5°C19 and continue to develop a Climate Change Strategic Plan. The Pacific island countries have expressed their priorities for addressing climate change regionally through the Pacific Leaders’ Call to Action on Climate Change20 and the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change 2006-2015.21