The overarching aim of this project was to develop and test new tools for identifying low exposure coral reefs to better protect coral reef ecosystems from climate change. This aim was explored through the following three research questions: 1. Can climate models project local and regional scale changes in coral reef climate exposure? 2. How will extreme climate exposure on coral reefs change at local and regional scales in the future? 3. Are local-scale climate projections useful in conservation planning? This PhD project was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Spheres Doctoral Training Partnership (grant reference NE/L002574/1) at the University of Leeds.