New publication: Climate change implications for the Arafura and Timor Seas region

C₂O led a climate change vulnerability assessment for the Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action – ATSEA – 2 Programme. The Arafura and Timor Seas region is shared by Indonesia, Timor Leste, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. The results of the assessment have now been published in the journal Climatic Change “Climate change implications for the Arafura and Timor Seas region: assessing vulnerability of marine systems to inform management and conservation”. The paper identified regions where shallow coral reef, seagrass and mangrove habitats are highly vulnerable to climate change and assessed the vulnerability of important marine species in the region. The results identified drivers of vulnerability, such as poor habitat condition, overfishing and ​illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU), limited formal management, and low connectivity. In addition, the study identified local actions that are needed to support adaptation and minimise climate change vulnerability.