France ranks 4th among coral countries, thanks in particular to the New Caledonian reef, one of the largest in the world. – MARC LE CHELARD / AFP
- They cover only 0.1% of the surface of the oceans (which is World Day) but are home to at least 25% of known marine species. This shows the importance of coral reefs, of which certain scientific projects suggest a possible virtual disappearance within thirty to fifty years.
- The problem is known and science is working on it, begins Pascale Joannot. But for the oceanographer, the urgency is also to launch concrete projects tackling the direct pressures weighing on corals. In short: changing our lifestyles.
- This is the whole purpose of #SOSCorail, a crowdfunding program which targeted fourteen restoration and safeguard projects in our overseas territories. In the lot, participatory sciences, awareness, education …
Tropical coral reefs cover “only” 284,000 km² of surface on Earth, or barely 0.1% of the oceans, calculate the United Nations. Yet they are home to at least 25% of known marine species. A contrast that shows the importance of restoring and preserving coral reefs. Over the past thirty years, we have lost up to 50% of the world’s corals, and some projections
let fear their possible virtual disappearance within thirty to fifty years.
France is among the first concerned. Thanks to its overseas territories, it is the fourth largest coral country in the world. To safeguard this heritage, the Foundation of the Sea and
the French Initiative for Coral Reefs (Ifrecor), chaired by the Ministries of Ecological Transition and Overseas Territories, have just launched
#SOSCorail. A crowdfunding campaign which brings together fourteen projects to safeguard and restore coral reefs and their associated ecosystems (seagrass, mangroves, etc.).
Among the initiatives, pure scientific research, “but also and above all projects of participatory science, public awareness, education of young people”, lists the oceanographer Pascale joannot, director of the scientific committee of #SOSCorail, on this World Oceans Day. She responds to 20 minutes.
What is the condition of the French coral reef today?
We have 60,000 km² of reefs spread over all of our overseas territories. For this reason, they are very diverse and their health conditions very different. They are generally good when compared to other countries; the reefs that we have in the Pacific are pulling the average upwards, but some are suffering in the West Indies or in the Indian Ocean.
Has the drastic drop in tourism with the Covid-19 epidemic been a beneficial break for the corals?
To my knowledge, there have been no studies launched on this subject, but it is a real question. I am convinced that it is. We have seen, in Europe, that nature took a little more comfort during confinements. There’s no reason the corals haven’t benefited too. In particular the decline in tourism, which is a direct pressure on the reefs. Some vacationers go so far as to harvest corals, but the damage is often done inadvertently. These are for example the pieces of corals that are broken by leaving the fins lying around, or the repeated anchoring of ships. It is also the dirty plate that is rinsed in sea water, letting oil escape that will not do the reefs good.
But this pause that the Covid-19 pandemic may have allowed must be put into perspective. There are other direct pressures on the reefs. Certain fisheries, for example, poorly controlled discharges of wastewater, plastic pollution… Above all, to these direct pressures is added the indirect pressure of the acceleration of climate change. The water temperature rises, which causes stress for the corals. They separate from the zooxanthellae, these algae with which they live in symbiosis.
They will then bleach and very often die because they have become much more vulnerable. And when a reef has to face these two types of pressures – direct and indirect – it is disaster.
Is this the first time that a crowdfunding program for the conservation of corals, like SOS Corail, has been launched in France?
It’s the first time. The pressures on coral reefs have been talked about for a very long time, and there are a lot of projects. in progress to preserve them. It is important to really take action, to launch very concrete actions that are very simple to implement. A call for projects has been launched with overseas communities to identify projects in their territories with this concern, once again, that they are very concrete and easy to implement. It is then up to us to find ways to finance them. This is the genesis of the #SOSCorail crowdfunding platform. Forty-eight reef conservation and restoration projects were sent to us and the Ifrecor secretariat kept some
fourteen, spread over all French overseas territories.
Since May 25, the general public and businesses can make a donation for one of these projects, a particular region or for all the programs. The big plus is that for each donation made, the Ministries of Ecological Transition and Outremers match the same amount, up to 200,000 euros.
Did this crowdfunding campaign get off to a good start?
There are still few corporate donations. On the other hand, individuals are at the rendezvous. These are therefore mainly small donations, but put together, this means that projects already exceed the 25,000 euros collected.
Among the 14 projects, there is “Cool the reef” * carried by the Criobe, in Polynesia, which aims to cool the temperature surrounding the reefs with cold water taken from 900 meters deep. Should we be hopeful that science will succeed in saving corals?
Projects are being launched in all directions and it is to be hoped that science will advance very quickly. It will be part of the solution. But we shouldn’t expect everything from science either. “Cool the reef”, this is intellectually interesting, but I have a few reservations for now. It will certainly require a lot of resources, to have deep water… And this is only an experience for the moment.
It is also urgent to change our lifestyles, to concretely tackle the causes of coral reef mortality. This involves in particular education, awareness. Quite simply because when we don’t know, we don’t know how to protect. Many projects on the #SOSCorail platform are in this niche. There are participatory science, awareness and education programs for the younger generations, or even in New Caledonia, a training project for field workers recruited from the local associative fabric. The idea is to strengthen the knowledge of these volunteers and their ability to precisely raise awareness among the general public.
What actions can everyone take to limit the impact on coral reefs?
The first challenge remains to fight against climate change, which is dramatic for corals. It means trying to use as little fossil fuels as possible, in all areas. Industry, agriculture, transport… This is the big universal gesture that must be ours.
Then, there are plenty of precautions when you are a tourist and when you go to areas of coral reefs. Do not touch the coral, do not kick your fins in any way, do not anchor your boat while we are above a reef… These are very simple gestures. Communities also have their role to play, by ensuring effective treatment against pollution. Waste, wastewater, industrial pollution …
* “Cool the reef”, taking water from the depths to cool the reefs …
The “Cool the Reef” program, carried by the Island Research Center and Environmental Observatory (Criobe), proposes to cool the environment of the coral reefs with cold water taken from 900 meters deep. “Used first for the air conditioning system of certain hotels, this water can then be recovered, stabilized at 14 ° C, then diffused over areas of coral reefs in order to maintain a stable temperature zone”, details SOS Corail in the presentation of the project.
First, researchers, in collaboration with hotel structures, will be able to experiment with this technology in test areas. The world’s first partnership was finalized with the‘The Brando’ Hotel, recently installed on the atoll of Tetiaroa.
Similarly, Australian researchers are working to slow the disappearance of the Great Barrier Reef. One of the techniques being considered is to make “the clouds shine” by throwing salt crystals into them to cool the waters around the reef, AFP reported on April 29. The technique was tested for the first time last year over the Great Barrier.