Sustainable Coastal Communities and Ecosystems Program (SUCCESS) Semi-Annual Report July 1 – December 31, 2011

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. In the first five years of the program, its goals were achieved through four major components: achieving tangible on-the-ground results, increasing capacity through certification initiatives and on-the-ground training, establishing regional learning networks supported by knowledge management, and applying science to management and good governance. In the five-year extension, these same broad goals are being achieved through three major focus areas: 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. 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, it recognizes the important role that livelihoods and enterprise development plays in helping to address poverty issues in coastal communities. The program is working to capture what both it and other programs and experts on the topic have learned about livelihoods development in natural resources-rich but economically poor coastal communities. The program is also focused on global climate change adaptation and has been using an approach to integrated coastal management (ICM) that has anticipated the far-reaching and long-lasting impacts of global climate change on coastal areas. Adaptation measures that draw on the USAID and CRC portfolio of experience and tools can help coastal communities prepare for the changes that are already being felt today and will increase with time. These measures include planning that anticipates sea level rise, training in good practices that reduce impacts of climate change and variability, encouraging MPA development as refuges and habitat for fish, community-based disaster management planning, and constructing water tanks and recommending policy to address current and future potable water needs. The SUCCESS Program is working to test and refine application of the guidance and direction provided in the publication "Adapting to Coastal Climate Change: A Guidebook for Development Planners." This Guide helps programmers and practitioners design and implement development projects in a way that accounts for and incorporates adaptations for climate change and in a way that ensures they mainstream adaptation strategies into government and community coastal development initiatives. Regional capacity building is a key component of the program, with a focus on certification of MPA professionals. The program has established a certification network, referred to as the MPA PRO network, which 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 has also established a collaborative learning component, which brings together stakeholders from around the world to share knowledge and best practices in integrated coastal management. The program has also made significant progress in communications and outreach, with a focus on disseminating key learning about livelihoods development and climate change adaptation to a wider audience. The program has also made significant progress in monitoring, evaluation, and reporting, with a focus on tracking progress towards its goals and objectives. The program has established a robust monitoring and evaluation system, which includes regular reporting and assessment of progress towards its goals and objectives. Overall, the SUCCESS Program has made significant progress in achieving its goals and objectives, with a focus on promoting sustainable use of marine resources, conserving marine biodiversity, and improving food and income security. The program's work has had a significant impact on coastal communities around the world, and its legacy will continue to be felt for years to come.