Brussels, 24/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - Warming of the sea, changing salinity and circulation and an increase in its levels are some of the effects of climate change on the Mediterranean analysed by a new report published on Wednesday 24 July by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on the basis of current scientific knowledge, and presenting several case studies to help measure the scope and stakes of the impact on climate change on marine biodiversity.
This publication, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and climate change: a guide to regional monitoring and adaptation opportunities, provides MPA managers with methodologies and tools to measure the impact of climate change on the marine biodiversity of these areas and to lessen the impacts of it, using indicators and better planning. It stresses that MPAs play a major role in understanding the effects of climate change.
“MPAs play a key role in the analysis of the biological consequences of climate change. As they are better shielded from anthropogenic impacts than other areas, they can serve as 'sentinel sites' where the effects of climate change can be studied and management strategies can be developed to adapt to such negative effects and, wherever possible, counter them”, said Maria del Mar Otro, IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation Marine Programme officer and coordinator of the publication.
The case studies highlight the vulnerability of nesting sea turtles due to rising sea levels, the resilience of the Mediterranean coral Cladocora caespitosa and species shift distributions. The IUCN helps to find pragmatic solutions to face the principal environmental and development challenges at global level. With the support of the European Commission, it produces the annual red list of species threatened with extinction in the EU. The report on the Mediterranean MPAs and climate change is available online: http://www.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2013-019.pdf (AN/transl.fl)