Coral Reef Rescue Initiative | Coral Reef Crisis

Coral Reefs: Vital and Vulnerable

The effects of climate change are being felt by all.

The world’s oceans are warming at an unprecedented rate, causing widespread bleaching and loss of corals. Half of our planet’s reefs have already disappeared.

The latest science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that, even if the average global temperature rise is limited to 1.5°C, 70-90% of tropical coral reefs could be gone by 2050. At 2°C or above, almost none will survive.

From a single polyp to an entire ecosystem, from fishing villages to global industries; the ecological and economic impact of losing our planet’s reefs would ripple out far and wide, and reverberate for years to come.

We must dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or face serious consequences.

Global climate change is not the only threat that coral reefs have to face. They are also under increasing pressure from the following local stressors:

Pollution

Unsustainable coastal development

Overfishing

Coastal Communities

An estimated 850 million people live within 100 kilometers of coastal reefs around the world and more than 500 million depend on reefs fish for food.

From Cuba to Tanzania and from Madagascar to Fiji, the disappearance of corals creates countless challenges for people living at the coast and beyond:

Loss of income

Compromised food security

Vulnerability to tropical storms

Greater risk to property

Loss of cultural context and traditions

Developing countries are especially vulnerable to the collapse of coral reef economies. Their ability to secure these ecosystems is compromised by a combination of poverty, lack of resources, limited access to finance and few alternative economic opportunities.

How can we address this issue?

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Marine Heatwaves and Coral Reefs - Video

Coral Reef Crisis

25%

of ocean species are supported by coral reefs

50%

of coral reefs have been lost since 1980

70-90%

of tropical coral reefs could be gone by 2050

Coral Reefs: Vital and Vulnerable

The effects of climate change are being felt by all.