Abstract: The project "Global learning for local solutions: Reducing vulnerability of marine-dependent coastal communities" (GULLS) falls within the Belmont Forum and G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding. Participants include teams from nine countries: Australia, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The project focuses on five regional "hotspots" of climate and social change, defined as fast-warming marine areas and areas experiencing social tensions as a result of change: south-east Australia, Brazil, India, South Africa, and the Mozambique Channel and adjacent countries of Mozambique and Madagascar. These areas require most urgent attention and serve as valuable case studies for wider applications. The project aims to assist coastal communities and other stakeholders dependent on marine resources to adapt to climate change and variability through an integrated and trans-disciplinary approach. Combining best available global knowledge with local knowledge and conditions, it is exploring adaptation options and approaches to strengthen resilience at local and community levels, with a focus on options for reconciling the needs for food security with long-term sustainability and conservation. The project will also contribute to capacity development and empowering fishing communities and other fisheries-dependent stakeholders.A standardized vulnerability assessment framework is being developed that will be used to integrate results from natural, social and economic studies in order to identify needs and options for strengthening management and existing policies. Structured comparisons between the hot-spots will assist global efforts for adaptation and strengthening resilience in marine and coastal social-ecological systems..

Funding: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Research Team:Maria de los Angeles Gasalla, Ricardo de Camargo, Alistair Hobday, Warwick H.H. Sauer, Kevern Cochrane, Ekaterina Popova, Ingrid van Putten, Sarah Jennings, Gretta Pecl, Edmo Campos, Eduardo Siegle, Sonia Gianesella, Shyam Icar, Hajanirina Razafindrainibe, Coleen Moloney, Shankar Aswani, Valborg Byfield, Adina Paytan, Chris Edwards.