Understanding how the climate system works requires a study of bio-geo-physical processes. Understanding why climate matters requires a study of the interaction of climate with environmental and social systems at various time and space scales. Climate variability pose both challenges and opportunities for human communities that are simultaneously navigating changing economic, social and political conditions.

Climate, whether manifested as extreme events or persistent conditions, is experienced first as a physical phenomenon. Temperature, wind and rain all affect the bio-physical environment particularly the coral reef ecosystem which is sensitive to the frequency, intensity and persistence of the climate conditions. However, understanding what climate variability mean for ecological and social systems, and how we might respond, requires more than an understanding of basic processes and biophysical impacts. The application of vulnerability studies to the climate problem promises to enrich not only our understanding of social-climate interactions, but also our ability to respond to change and extreme events. The advantage of a focus on vulnerability is that, today and in the future, it can empower Pacific island to consider a proactive rather that reactive approach to improving their ability to respond to climate variability.

Coral reef ecosystems are considered highly vulnerable to climate change. Yet, because they provide shoreline protection and habitat for important fish species, healthy reefs are important assets not only for tourism and fishing industries but also for residents of many islands. Unfortunately, significant coral bleaching events have been observed in association with El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, and there are suggestions that such patterns might continue or increase with increased ocean temperatures.

In the study, the work firstly focuses on bio-physical approaches. Certain reef-building corals have the potential to provide information about coral growth and climate over the past several centuries. Measuring how fast corals grow is in this way a fundamental problem in coral reef research, particularly relationships with the global change and climate variability. We have generated several centuries-long time series of change in corals growth of Porites corals heads from Moorea island (French Polynesia) and Yasawa island (Fiji island) in order to investigate environmental controls on growth of the massive corals in the tropical South Central and Western Pacific. Correlation of coral growth characteristics with meteorological instrumental records are discussed. Secondly, the work focuses on development of integrated resource management approaches, particularly on management policies, that accommodate climate variations. Method and indicators are proposed to encourage proactive and anticipative approaches including the use of economic instruments and innovative population-business-government partnerships.