Carefully designed and placed MPAs, especially when they exclude fishing, can increase resilience to climate change by removing additional stressors on ecosystems. While MPAs do not prevent extreme events, such as marine heatwaves , they can provide marine plants and animals with a better chance to adapt to a changing climate. Current MPAs, however, are often too small, too poorly connected and too static to account for climate-induced shifts in the range of marine species. MPA networks that are large, connected, have adaptable boundaries and are designed following systematic analysis of future climate projections can better support climate resilience.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report