Sustainable Coastal Communities and Ecosystems Program (SUCCESS) Semi-Annual Report July-Dec 2013

The program's goal is to provide global leadership in integrated coastal management through innovative approaches in a participatory, issue-driven, and results-oriented process. The program's objectives include promoting sustainable use of marine resources, conserving marine biodiversity, and improving food and income security. The SUCCESS Program operates under the premise that stakeholders in sustainable use and conservation efforts must see tangible benefits if these programs are to be effective and sustainable beyond the life of the USAID investments. Therefore, the program recognizes the important role that livelihoods and enterprise development play in helping to address poverty issues in coastal communities. It also recognizes that when poverty is rampant and there are few alternatives for livelihood opportunities, citizens often engage in marine resource extraction activities that can negatively impact biodiversity. The program's focus areas include increasing capacity for marine protected area (MPA) professionals through certification, applying a climate lens to coastal policy, management, and practice, and capturing and disseminating key learning about livelihoods development. These focus areas make significant contributions to biodiversity conservation and play a role in raising awareness of the need to adapt coastal policies, plans, and practices in the face of global climate change. The SUCCESS Program's innovative new model for certifying MPA professionals, referred to as the MPA PRO network, recognizes that as the number of MPAs around the world continues to increase, it becomes essential that the individuals responsible for effective operations of these sites have the requisite skills and experience to do so. The program also works on climate change adaptation issues in all coastal areas, including but not limited to those within the boundaries of protected areas such as MPAs. The program's certification of MPA professionals is a key component of its efforts to increase capacity and promote sustainable use of marine resources. The certification process involves a rigorous evaluation of the skills and experience of MPA professionals, and it provides a recognized standard for the management of MPAs. The program's certification efforts are focused on the Western Indian Ocean region, where the number of MPAs is increasing rapidly. The SUCCESS Program's work on climate change adaptation is also a key component of its efforts to promote sustainable use of marine resources. The program's approach to climate change adaptation involves the use of a climate lens to inform coastal policy, management, and practice. This approach recognizes that climate change is a key driver of coastal change, and it seeks to identify and address the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems and communities. The program's work on livelihoods development is also an important component of its efforts to promote sustainable use of marine resources. The program recognizes that livelihoods and enterprise development play a critical role in helping to address poverty issues in coastal communities, and it seeks to capture and disseminate key learning about livelihoods development in natural resources-rich but economically poor coastal communities. The SUCCESS Program's semi-annual report for July-December 2013 highlights the program's progress in meeting its planned outcomes of workplan program elements. The report provides an overview of the program's accomplishments during the reporting period, including the certification of MPA professionals, the application of a climate lens to coastal policy, management, and practice, and the capture and dissemination of key learning about livelihoods development. The report also highlights the program's challenges and management issues, including the need to adapt to changing circumstances and to address the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems and communities. The report provides an overview of the program's priorities for the next quarter, including the continued certification of MPA professionals, the application of a climate lens to coastal policy, management, and practice, and the capture and dissemination of key learning about livelihoods development. Overall, the SUCCESS Program's semi-annual report for July-December 2013 highlights the program's progress in meeting its planned outcomes of workplan program elements, including the certification of MPA professionals, the application of a climate lens to coastal policy, management, and practice, and the capture and dissemination of key learning about livelihoods development. The report also highlights the program's challenges and management issues, and it provides an overview of the program's priorities for the next quarter.