According to new reports by WWF UK, 30% of the worlds most diverse coral reefs are set to disappear by the end of the century if global leaders do not tackle climate change. The report shows that the ecosystem that could be most affecting the will be the Coral Triangle, which covers the coasts, reefs
and seas of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste.

This region alone holds 30% the world’s coral reefs, as well as providing vital spawning grounds for important fish such as tuna. Around 100 million people rely on the area for their livelihoods, but due to climate change and overfishing the capacity of the region’s coastal environments to feed people will decline by almost 80%.

Marine Climate Change Officer at WWF-UK, Emily Lewis-Brown, said –

The effects of climate change on the oceans are global and only strong and urgent action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions can hope to mitigate this threat. WWF calls on world leaders to agree a strong and fair Global Climate Deal at the UN Climate Conference at Copenhagen in December to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. This deal also needs to provide the necessary support and funding to enable the countries of the Coral Triangle to strengthen the management of their natural resources and protect the lives and livelihoods of their people.

The report shows there is also the opportunity to build a resilient and robust Coral Triangle to aid economic growth if major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are backed up by international investment. Communities are still likely to face loss of coral and sea level rises, but with strong adaptation policies in place most communities should remain resilient in the face of these hardships. The effective management of these coastal areas is imperative, with vigilant local assistance of all marine protected areas and local fisheries.