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The climate refuge coral reef rescue journey

Introducing the Coral Reef Rescue: Resilient Coral Reefs, Resilient Communities Project

Por IW:LEARN

24 de January de 2024

Coral reef ecosystems face a massive crisis worldwide. The global pressure of climate change, along with local human-induced pressures, are contributing to the rapid deterioration of coral reef ecosystems, jeopardizing the lives of the millions of people who rely on these coastal resources. While the climate future is dire, where there is resilience there is hope. The identification of climate refuge reefs (reefs that have lower exposure to climate change stress), provides this hope as a source for the regeneration of future reefs in a climate-stabilized world.

The Coral Reef Rescue: Resilient Coral Reefs, Resilient Communities Project (CRR GEF), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has embarked on its epic journey to safeguard globally significant climate refuge reefs in six countries Fiji, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Philippines, Madagascar and Tanzania.

The CRR GEF project is a multi-stakeholder project that contributes to the Coral Reef Rescue Initiative (CRRI).

The core components of the project are:

1) Promote global to local knowledge and capacity strengthening for climate refuge reef conservation.

2) Establish inclusive governance and planning processes addressing local threats to coral refuge reefs.

3) Support the alignment of co-finance and mobilization of investment opportunities that support coral refuge reef conservation.

4) Facilitate communication and awareness of the significance of climate refuge reefs to ensure their survival.

The CRR GEF project is implemented through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and executed by the University of Queensland in partnership with project country Focal National Government Ministries and national executing partners (Wildlife Conservation Society (Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Madagascar), Reef Check Indonesia, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (Philippines) and Tanzania Marine Parks and Reserve Unit).

Diving the reefs of Indonesia. Credit: Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, UQ.

The project’s extensive team, consisting of implementing, executing, and CRRI partner agency representatives gathered in Bali, Indonesia to develop a shared understanding of the project and its contribution to the broader Coral Reef Rescue Initiative, and to undertake participatory project planning.

During the meeting, the team formulated work plans aligned with country priorities and synchronized with the establishment of project governance mechanisms and institutional arrangements. Currently, both national and global project teams are actively focused on executing core activities to achieve project outcomes.

Participants at the Coral Reef Rescue Inception Workshop in Bali, Indonesia. Credit: Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, UQ.

Early achievements include the release of the project’s first Massive Open Online Learning Course (MOOC), developed by UQ’s School of Environment to provide the opportunity for global learners to build and share knowledge. Building on initial modules developed by the CRRI, the MOOC Challenges and Solutions for Coral Reef Conservation and Management is now available for online learners.

Monitoring and evaluation for adaptive management, learning, communication, and planning are essential. The CRR GEF project partnered with PALO IT, an innovative IT company, to develop an online monitoring and evaluation portal and enable implementation teams to track and share progress against work plans and achievements against intended project outcomes.

In the coming months, project countries will establish ‘national hubs’ (the enabling environments foundational for collective action and stakeholder engagement). These hubs will play a crucial role in developing a shared understanding of the importance of climate refuge reefs, addressing underlying drivers impacting their survival, and finding synergistic solutions to tackle these drivers and root causes.