Establishing marine protected areas in a changing climate

This guidance aims to inform the planning, design, and implementation of new and expanded MPAs, OECMs, areas conserved by Indigenous peoples, and networks of protected and conserved areas at the community, national, and international levels. It focuses on why it is important to consider climate change in MPA1 planning, and how new areas can be established in ways that build climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation. The audience for this guidance includes relevant government agencies and non-governmental organizations at the national, sub-national, and regional scales, as well as Indigenous peoples and communities. While the focus is on new and expanded MPAs and networks, much of this guidance is also relevant to the climate-adaptive management of existing MPAs. This guidance recognises the broader context of marine spatial planning and ecosystem approaches to management within which MPA networks often operate. It also recognises the wealth of resources already available on implementing climate-adaptive MPAs and provides a brief introduction to these tools and approaches.