Climate change adaptation

Photo: Restoration of coral reefs

Strengthening the resilience of indigenous and Afro-Caribbean coastal communities in and around marine protected areas to the effects of climate change, based on the experiences from previous projects, while at the same time protecting and restoring local carbon stores.

Local decision-makers from indigenous territories and afro-carribean coastal communities.

Nicaragua's multi-ethnic and biodiverse Caribbean coast is part of the Central American biological corridor and is characterized by estuaries, lagoons, mangrove forests, islands with seagrass beds and coral reefs, and isolated indigenous and Afro-Caribbean communities. The population lives from fishing, subsistence farming and some tourism. Invasive fishing and farming practices, overexploitation of natural resources and the weakening of traditional governance, coupled with rapid population growth in recent decades, have placed severe strain on ecosystems. In addition, the flat coastal region lies in the hurricane corridor of Central America. All of this contributes to the region's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, but at the same time offers enormous opportunities to adapt to climate change and protect and restore important carbon sinks such as mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds. The sustainable management of coastal ecosystems is therefore essential.

• Training for local governments on good governance in the area of participatory and ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change, taking into account the gender equality and cultural diversity approach
• Design and implementation of a continuous training programme for territorial and municipal authorities on participatory, ecosystem-based climate change adaptation and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems
• Develop technical and administrative tools for local and territorial governments (including a mangrove management plan and coral reef conservation)
• Social communication campaign to raise public awareness
• Establishment of a participatory monitoring system for key climate, agriculture, ecosystem and biodiversity parameters together with local farmers and fishermen, local authorities and authorities as well as the BICU climate change observatory
• Measures for the protection and sustainable use of ecosystems in the areas of agriculture, fishing and tourism
• Participatory assessment of important ecosystem services (carbon sequestration in mangroves and reefs, population assessment of lobsters, jellyfish and sea cucumbers)
• Reforestation of 17 hectares of mangrove forest with the participation of the public and private sectors
• Restoration of 1.5 hectares of coral reef with participation of public and private sectors
• Protect and restore key beach areas using ecosystem-based methods
• Pilot measures in the area of waste and wastewater management, together with fishermen, the tourism and transport sectors
• Cross-generational exchange about the community's relationship to ecosystems and local biological diversity, taking into account the indigenous and Afro-Caribbean worldview