In February 2009 experts gathered in Costa Rica to review the implications of climate change for the Eastern Tropical Pacific, and to develop actions to support the region’s biodiversity and the services it provides in the face of this threat. Despite its rich biodiversity and critical role for a range of marine, migratory species, the Eastern Tropical Pacific has received surprisingly little focus as a region in relation to climate change. While the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) has regional alliances for the South Pacific, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, and the United States, including a coalition specific to the northwest Pacific, there is no such regional organization for the Eastern Tropical Pacific. This work-shop served as a key step in creating regional awareness and discussion around climate change, and gave scientists and organizations engaged in relevant work a chance to talk together about this critical issue. More importantly, this is the first effort in the region to collate oceanographic and climate knowledge in the context of vulnerabilities and adaptation options for marine organisms. Although it did not aspire to be comprehensive, it will serve as a platform to stimulate further regional work towards adaptation of marine habitats to climate change.

The first part of this report presents a generally applicable framework for adaptation. Although this document is directed towards conservation practitioners and natural resource managers in the Eastern Tropical Pacific or concerned with cetaceans as a whole, these basic principles can be used by anyone.

The second section presents findings from the workshop itself, both from presentations and from working group discussions. Although there are relatively few studies on climate change and its biological implications in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, participants assessed both what information there is for this region and how more global studies might be applied here.

The final section provides possible options for putting adaptation into practice. The ideas here are not an agreed-upon prescription for action from the workshop: they illustrate an approach to generating a range of actions that might be taken following thoughtful deliberation of costs, risks, and benefits. This reflects the consensus of workshop participants that there needs to be a fundamental change in conservation philosophy extending from policy makers to local communities to reflect the realities and uncertainties of climate change. Some fairly extreme options were purposefully included to illustrate the full range of possibilities for further analysis and consideration. How much or how little action to take depends on what is at stake, how much it matters, and how dire the situation.

Perhaps the most common reason cited for not taking action to reduce vulnerability to climate change is that there is still so much uncertainty. In reality, there will always be uncertainty, and the magnitude of the problem demands action now. There are many options for moving forward in the face of uncertainty, including scenario planning, robust decision-making, and active adaptive management. Since climate change is an unprecedented and urgent challenge, it is essential to learn by doing and to experiment with innovative, out-of-the-box thinking. Possible costs and benefits of different adaptation options must be carefully assessed, including potential unintended consequences, but the costs of taking no action at all are becoming increasingly clear.