“A global challenge requiring global action”

Experts around the world join forces to save coral reefs

Here’s the alarming news: we’ve lost 50 percent of the world’s coral reefs and, according to the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5, corals are the group with the most rapid increase in extinction risk. 

Corals may take up less than one percent of the ocean floor but they support a quarter of all species in the ocean and provide food, livelihoods, economic security and cultural heritage for more than a billion people around the world. But we can act now. We can prevent devastation of these vital ecosystems forever. Something can be done to protect them – but it needs to be fast! 

You might have heard about the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)’s Recommendation that coral reefs must be prioritised in the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The Recommendation asks for specific, and actionable indicators that will allow countries to measure progress towards sustaining coral reefs in a way that yields significant benefits to humankind. But what would global protection for this critical, vulnerable ecosystem look like? 

Here, experts and community members around the world explain why the ICRI Recommendation is so important. 

We must not ignore the urgency of this issue 

Coral reefs are under intense pressure from human activities such as climate change, pollution and destructive fishing practices. We have already lost 50 percent of our coral reefs. Waiting even longer will put our reefs at further risk. 

That’s why ICRI is encouraging CBD parties to recognise the urgency of coral reef decline and take action now. Including available, measurable coral reef indicators within the post-2020 GBF will incentivise coral reef conservation and restoration by enabling countries to determine progress against targets and enhance their ability to monitor these vital ecosystems.

Alain de Comarmond, Principal Secretary, Environment Department, Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Republic of Seychelles

“The Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 confirms that coral reefs have ‘shown the most rapid increase in extinction risk of all assessed groups’ due to climate change and other human pressures. This underlines the urgency to prioritise coral reefs in the new Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. 

We rely on healthy, thriving coral reefs 

Coral reefs may make up just a fraction of a percent of the ocean floor but they support 25 percent of marine species and generate $2.7 trillion USD in ecosystem services; not to mention providing food, livelihoods and cultural heritage to more than a billion people around the world. 

ICRI’s recommended indicators will keep countries accountable and on course in their efforts to protect our precious reefs for future generations. What’s more, enabling them to detect changes will mean they can be more adaptable in their conservation measures: innovating and taking strategic action at the right time and scale for most effective reef protection. 

Zac Goldsmith, the UK International Environment Minister

“Protection of our ocean is a global challenge requiring global action. Coral reefs remain vital to this effort, as they support over a quarter of all life in the ocean, and are facing unprecedented threats.”