Abstract

This management handbook is written for protected area managers, conservation managers and management planners who want to adapt the management of natural resources to climate change. It provides a guideline on how to answer the most important questions of conservation and resource managers in the face of climate change:

1. What impacts will climate change have on the protected area or selected conservation features?
2. How to deal with uncertainties in climate projections and impact assessments?
3. How can conservation and resource management adapt to changing conditions?
4. How to integrate social, economic and ecological interests of stakeholders and land users in the adaptation process to guarantee accepted sustainable and effective resource management under climate change?

This handbook will guide managers through basic work steps and procedures that are necessary to initiate and plan adaptation to climate change. A definition of objectives, content and methods for each work step is completed by examples from HABIT-CHANGE and a practical checklist that helps to apply the approach. The handbook provides assistance for impact assessments as well as the identification of suitable adaptation strategies and measures. It gives guidance for practical adaptation planning which can easily be fitted to site-specific situations.