Climate change and stewardship: strategies to build community resilience in the Capricorn Coast

Abstract

The Great Barrier Reef is projected to change substantially over the next 50 years due to the impacts of climate change. These impacts are likely to have severe repercussions for the communities and industries that depend on resources and services provided by the marine ecosystem. Understanding ways to increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change are essential. This study sought to identify barriers and opportunities to foster stewardship action among stakeholders on the Capricorn Coast to build community-based resilience to the impacts of climate change. Barriers to stewardship exemplify the need to develop clear communication networks between community and government agencies to foster trust and interconnectivity. Education also plays an important role in these processes in allowing for information and knowledge transfer across the different stakeholder sectors. To facilitate and reduce these barriers to stewardship, strong leadership, which engages industry and community members, by industry and government organisations, is necessary. To do this, stakeholders will need to acknowledge the uncertainty around climate change impacts, yet be provided with information and knowledge of the resources available to respond to climate-related impacts as well as being encouraged and empowered to make individual changes in the greater interest of the reef.

Keywords:

• Great Barrier Reef
• adaptive capacity
• resilience
• community
• marine ecosystem
• stakeholder
• survey

Acknowledgements

This research was funded/supported by the GBRMPA under the Great Barrier Reef Climate Change Action Plan Program. We acknowledge the interest and comprehensive attention given to the survey by respondents, and the contribution of the GBRMPA team members Dr Paul Marshall, Chloe Schauble, Diane Walker and Warwick Sheldon.