According to a report published on Tuesday and carried out by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), 14% of the world’s corals disappeared between 2009 and 2018, due to climate change, overfishing or pollution. The State of the World’s Coral Reefs in 2020 “offers the most accurate scientific panorama to date of the damage caused by rising temperatures on coral reefs around the world,” said a press release from the organization, which was based on data collected from 12,000 sites in 73 countries. The organization also points to the responsibility, at the local level, of “overfishing, unsustainable coastal development and a decline in water quality”.
“Although reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they are home to at least a quarter of all marine flora and fauna, while providing crucial habitat and a source of protein (and) medicine,” adds the organization. “At least a billion people in the world depend on” for food or protection from storms and erosion. And, by way of illustration, the 14% of lost corals represent 11,700 km ², “that is to say a quantity greater than all the living coral of Australia”, specifies the press release.
“Climate change is the greatest threat to the world’s reefs, and we must all do our part by limiting global greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible,” insists Paul Hardisty, CEO of the Australian Institute. marine sciences (AIMS), quoted in the press release, one month before the crucial COP26 for the climate. Fortunately, “many coral reefs around the world remain resilient and can rebuild themselves if conditions allow,” the statement also said, “giving hope for the long-term health of coral reefs if immediate action is taken. taken “.