The Take What would happen if coral reefs disappeared?
How Coral Reefs Could Vanish Within Decades and Why We Must Act Now
Coral reefs, vital to a billion people and a quarter of marine species, are dying rapidly due to warming oceans and pollution.
Scientists warn that up to 90% of coral reefs could be lost by 2050 if no significant changes happen. Coral bleaching, caused by heat stress, expels the algae corals need to survive, turning them white and threatening their life.
Efforts like coral restoration and protecting genetic diversity offer hope by helping heat-tolerant "super corals" adapt and repopulate damaged reefs.
Local actions such as cleaning wastewater can reduce stress on reefs, improving resilience against bleaching events.
Understanding and supporting these solutions is critical to preserving not just reefs but the ocean's health and the global food chain.
Coral Reefs: Vital Ocean Lungs
- Coral reefs support 25% of marine species and provide food and livelihoods to a billion people globally.
- They also contribute to 50% of Earth's oxygen by sustaining healthy oceans, essential for the entire planet.
Fisherman Depends on Coral Reefs
- Kenyan fisherman Kalume Kehinde depends on coral reefs for fish reproduction and his livelihood.
- Coral reef loss would directly eliminate income for thousands of coastal fishers like him.