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Sandwatch provides a framework for children, youth and adults with the help of teachers and local communities to work together to critically evaluate the problems and conflicts facing their beach environments.

It was made clear from all of the presentations that climate change is occurring and its consequences, or changes attributed to climate change, are manifestly being observed and noted by Traditional owners on country in ways that richly complement the much more publicised knowledge emerging from the “western” scientific paradigm. The impacts are both direct and indirect, obvious and variously disguised, environmental and social. The way to mitigate impacts and adapt to changes varies across natural and human landscapes. One of the key features in north Australia is the relatively large proportion of Indigenous people who are particularly vulnerable, not only to obvious physical impacts of climate change effects like more frequent severe cyclones; but to background conditions such as economic underinvestment, poverty, health issues and the vicissitudes of policy making. Such conditions in over-governed, under-resourced communities (remote and urban) exacerbate problems with adaptation to change and capacity to respond. Climate change in north Australia cannot be treated in isolation from existing conditions of life and is increasingly affecting Indigenous lives everywhere, becoming a key stimulus for driving Indigenous capacity, response and adaptation to short and long term changes in their physical and social environment.

The Copenhagen Accord declared that deep cuts in global emissions are required “so as to hold the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius”. The Accord called for an assessment that would consider strengthening the long-term goal including “temperature rises of 1.5 degrees”. Since December 2009, 140 countries1 have associated themselves with the Copenhagen Accord. Of these, 85 countries have pledged to reduce their emissions or constrain their growth up to 2020.

We, Leaders, Ministers and Representatives of Governments participating in the Tarawa Climate Change Conference held on 10th November 2010, recognizing that, climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and that there is an urgent need for more and immediate action to be undertaken to address the causes and adverse impacts of climate change

Climate change is altering and damaging marine and coastal ecosystems around the world. Sea-level rise, erosion, the increased severity of storms and flooding, ocean acidification and coral bleaching are already causing devastation to coasts around the world. This affects the livelihoods of people that depend on the services provided by these ecosystems, including food security, clean drinking water, medicines, recreational values and often the buffer that they offer to communities from extreme weather events. However, ecosystems need to be managed so that they continue to provide these important services and help coastal communities adapt to the impacts they face from climate change. Ecosystem-based management actions can help communities adapt to climate change, and are already an integral part of UNEP’s Programme of Work.

This report is targeted at policy-makers, particularly those responsible for developing climate mitigation and adaption strategies that address issues like conservation, ecosystem services, agriculture and sustainable livelihoods. It focuses on the primary linkages between invasive species and climate change, as well as the secondary and tertiary interactions of their corresponding impacts. Finally, the enclosed recommendations are intended to provide guidance on the best ways to integrate invasive species prevention and management into the consideration of climate change responses across a range of sectors. Building on a review of existing scientific and conservation literature (which is frequently centered on well-studied invasive species in developed countries), our research has reaffirmed that there are significant gaps and questions about the intersection of these two major drivers of change. The case studies included below highlight key relationships and questions related to invasive species, climate change and the role of ecosystem-based adaptation. The three key messages that can be distilled from this report are: 1. Climate change will have direct and second order impacts that facilitate the introduction, establishment and/or spread of invasive species. 2.Invasive species can increase the vulnerability of ecosystems to other climate-related stressors and also reduce their potential to sequester greenhouse gasses. 3.Using an ecosystem-based adaptation approach, these pressures on ecosystems and their ability to provide important services can be offset by preventing the introduction of new invasive species and by eradicating or controlling those damaging species already present.

This discussion paper makes a case for the glass half full view of Copenhagen. To sustain this optimism, this paper seeks to move the focus from the outcomes of one (unprecedented) international meeting and draw conclusions from the more important trends in climate policy globally. Given the apparent disconnect between these positive trends and the slow progress within the negotiations, this paper calls for a 'new multilateralism' aimed at unlocking ambitious global action on climate change.