Coral reefs are at risk of extinction by the end of this century, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has warned, considering the underwater structures included on the World Heritage List, a Telesur note highlighted.
Noting that the world’s best-known coral reefs could become extinct by the end of the century unless efforts are made to make them resilient to ocean warming, the company stressed, reiterating that these ecosystems are suffering from pollution, overfishing and destruction exposed are the habitat.
adema, He specified that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that states must drastically reduce carbon emissions in order to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
For her part, UNESCO Marine Program Director Fanny Douvere stated that “global warming means that local reef conservation practices are no longer sufficient to protect the world’s most important reef ecosystems. But a healthy, resilient reef can regenerate and survive after a bleach.”
UNESCO indicated that its goal is to reduce these threats and strengthen sustainable management of marine reefs and support local communities.
To that end, they plan to prioritize support for 19 of the 29 reefs inscribed on the World Heritage List, including the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary (Colombia), the Guanacaste Conservation Area, and the Isla del Coco National Park (Costa Rica). Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), among others.
The coral bleaching that signals their extinction causes parts to break off and accumulate on the reef, preventing new coral from growing.