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Wider Caribbean Region

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Climate and Conservation

Abstract

The Wider Caribbean Region’s unique marine and coastal areas support some of the world’s most productive and diverse ecosystems and provide numerous products and services for human communities. In combination with the host of stressors already affecting many areas, climate change is likely to lead to further declines in the health and sustainability of coastal ecosystems throughout the Caribbean. A collaborative approach to accelerating climate change adaptation in the region is using the migratory hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) as an umbrella species to highlight the importance of conservation at a seascape level. Through rigorous adaptation planning, encouragement of innovation, and shared learning, the Adaptation to Climate Change for Marine Turtles initiative is building regional capacity to address the challenges of climate change.

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Acknowledgments

This work was made possible by funding from the John D. and Catherine T. Mac-Arthur Foundation. The contributions and input of Lucy Hawkes and Carlos Drews to this project are gratefully acknowledged. The author would like to thank the WIDECAST network, ACT initiative network, and all other survey respondents for taking the time to share their opinions and expertise.

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© 2012 Island Press

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Fish, M. (2012). Wider Caribbean Region. In: Hilty, J.A., Chester, C.C., Cross, M.S. (eds) Climate and Conservation. Island Press/Center for Resource Economics. https://doi.org/10.5822/978-1-61091-203-7_14

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