Q 57 - How to prioritize areas to be protected in view of climate changes (including shertered areas)?#
Answers#
ESE1 - Ecological toolkit#
Practices: Scoping Data collection and presentation Analysis and diagnosis Prioritisation and designationSpatial scales: Transboundary / sea basin National Regional / localProtection regimes: Strict protection Non-strict protectionMarine zones: Coastal zone Deep sea Offshore zoneCriteria classes: 1 Ecological and genetic criteria 1.1 Functional 1.1.1 Vulnerability 1.1.2 Stability 1.1.3 Functional hotspots 1.1.4. Life cycle critical areas 1.1.5 Climate-smart potential 1.2 Structural 1.3 Genetic 1.4 Ecological status
Criteria
Category Ecological and genetic criteria
Subcategory Functional
Macro-criterion Vulnerability
Macro-criterion Stability
Macro-criterion Functional hotspots
Macro-criterion Life cycle critical areas
Macro-criterion Climate-smart potential
Subcategory Structural
Subcategory Genetic
Subcategory Ecological status
Implementation details
Before entering into the prioritization phase, it is necessary to define the purpose of the protection (define the objectives and the desirable narratives to reach the objectives, i.e. the crucial Scoping phase). To support the framing of objectives and their selection, refer to step 1 of the MSP4BIO climate-related guidance. When the objectives are defined, a methodology and a synthesis of relevant elements can be followed in the chapter 5 “Risk Assessment” of the MSP4BIO climate-related guidance (CAMBRA et al., 2024). Criteria (D3.4) such as refuge areas and functional hotspots inner criteria (key functional areas, e.g. Carbon sink areas, areas with high concentrations of primary productivity) are directly relevant to this question and should be identified within the area of interest.
Notes
Cambra et al (2024). Guidance for including climate change scenarios in protection and prioritization strategies for Marine Protected Areas development. Deliverable D3.3, under the WP3 of MSP4BIO project (GA n°101060707)