Coral reefs

ISSUES

Coral Reefs

Coral reefs can be found in more than a 100 countries and cover 112,000 to 4 million km2 depending on whether we consider reefs in the strict sense of the word or if we also include the lagoons they surround. The Great Barrier Reef (Australia) is the world’s largest coral reef system (350,000 km2). France has 55,000 km2 of them spread out over its 3 surrounding oceans, Indonesia has 51,020 km2, and the Philippines 25,000 km2.
These ecosystems protect the coasts from erosion caused by waves, serve as nurseries for young fish (particularly fringing reefs, which are the most threatened), and are a source of protein for local populations. They generate work and are the main source of support for small-scale fishing and tourism. In warm waters, 70% of coral reefs are threatened by climate change as well as direct effects of human activity: sewage and land runoff, tourist boats and diving, material removal and fishing practices.
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NEWS

Sorry, most of the news are only available in French language for the moment.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - WASHINGTON - Une banque de coraux congelés a été créée par des chercheurs américains dans l'espoir d'éviter...

MALAYSIA - Malaysia has closed several of its world-famous diving sites including those surrounding the tropical islands of Tioman...

PANAMA - Panama (Reuters) - Rising seas from global warming, coming after years of coral reef destruction, are forcing thousands...

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DEBATES

Coral Reef Emergency and Copenhagen

Pavan Sukhdev

One is a “flow” problem : too much GHG flowing into the atmosphere due to human activities. If this is not stopped it will cause...

Healthy reefs hit hardest by warmer temperatures

CHAPEL HILL – Coral disease outbreaks hit hardest in the...

2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Corals and Marine Life Listed

For the first time in history, the IUCN Red List of...

FOCUS

Ocean acidification

The increase in the terrestrial atmosphere’s carbon dioxide levels causes a chemical change in oceans. This consequence is often neglected. Not only are oceans warming up, they are also absorbing gases from the...

VIDEOS

04/08/2010	Reef Gardeners in Bali	31/05/2010	Des expériences sont encours à l’île Maurice pour préserver les coraux et...
23/12/2009	Jean-Pierre Quignard, professor in Ichtyology, tells us about the...	12/06/2009	Le WWF et d’autres association, par exemple la Surfriders Fondation,...

GREEN TIPS

Rescuing coral reefs

The « Biorock » technology for the preservation of coral species developed by Wolf Hilbertz and Thomas Goreau...

INDICATORS

Biocapacity
National biodiversity index
Threatened ecosystems
Protected areas

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