What Every Pacific Island Leader Should Know About Climate Change

Robert H. Richmond, Ph.D.

Kewalo Marine Laboratory

Pacific Biosciences Research Center

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Importance of Coral Reefs

Approximately 30% of Reefs Have Been Negatively Impacted by Human Activities

Nuclear Testing: Extreme/Acute Disturbance

Anthropogenic Disturbance

Overfishing

Coastal Pollution Recreational Impacts

Erosion & Sedimentation

Global Climate Change

• Massive Regional Bleaching Events

• Alternate Stable States

• Ocean Acidification

• Irish Potato Famine of Reefs

Typhoons and Sea Level

Aragonite Saturation Levels in 1995

50°E 100°E 150°E 160°W 110°W 60°W 10°WKleypas et al., 2006

Aragonite Saturation Levels in 2040

• • 50°E 100°E 150°E 160°W 110°W 60°W 10°W• Kleypas et al., 2006

Ocean acidification effects

Fine and Tchernov, Science, 2007

Persistence and Perpetuation of Coral Reefs

N

0 50 100

Sediment plume

Credits: Teina Rongo

Ngerikill Bay, Airai State – Republic of Palau

Changes in Community Characteristics

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10

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30

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50

60

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1900 1950 1960 1970 2009 2050 2060 2070 2100

Year

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ive

Cor

al C

over

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As-is +W LBR+W LBR+W+A optimistic

Future Scenarios

Community Meetings – Ngermeduu Bay

Local and Regional Capacity

Partnerships, Trust and Common Goals