A new coalition of inter-governmental organizations, international conservation organizations, and private foundations is converging in Egypt this week to send a message about the need for bold leadership to save coral reefs from near-extinction by mid-century.
Representatives from more than one hundred countries that are parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are meeting to begin a two-year process to adopt a global framework for protecting biodiversity, including coral reefs, around the world.
A new partnership, which includes UN Environment, the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), WWF, The Nature Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society, Vulcan Inc., a Paul G. Allen company, The Ocean Agency, and the CBD Secretariat, will be unveiled in Sharm El Sheikh to raise awareness about the coral reef crisis and urge governments to take greater action.
“It’s clear to anyone who puts their head below the waves that the fate of the world’s coral reefs is hanging in the balance,” said Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment. “At the moment these undersea explosions of color and life face an extremely bleak future. The expectations for this coalition could not be higher. Coral reef protection must become a global priority. Coral reefs need a better deal.”
Coral reefs provide food and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people around the world, support more than a quarter of all marine life, and protect communities and coastlines from natural disasters—and if urgent action is not taken, they could be lost forever.
Climate change is not the only major threat that reefs face. Over-fishing, pollution and coastal development have all caused major losses of coral reefs over the last 30 years. Ambitious actions at the global, national and local levels, to deliver on meaningful policy targets for protecting coral reefs, are essential to saving coral reefs from collapse.
The new coral reef coalition to be announced at the CBD meeting this week is building an advocacy and communications approach to activate a global constituency to support bold action from leaders in government and the private sector.
Original source: UN Environment
Published on 13 November 2018
