The MSC Foundation has announced its support for a landmark global assessment finding that 96 percent of the world’s shallow-water coral reef ecosystems are critically endangered.
The assessment also showed nearly every assessed shallow-water coral reef ecosystem faces an extremely high risk of collapse by 2075.
Released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at the UN biodiversity conference (COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia, this first global coral reef assessment under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems draws on decades of observations and climate data.
It brings together more than 250 scientists and specialists and covers reefs in more than 80 countries and territories, MSC Foundation said in a press release.
Speaking from the UN conference, Daniela Picco, executive director of the MSC Foundation, said: “We invest in global coral reef science because understanding the scale of the threats is essential to protecting these ecosystems.”
“At Ocean Cay in The Bahamas, we are putting scientific research into practice, working with partners to study resilient corals, advance restoration techniques and engage cruise guests and future marine scientists. By connecting global science with practical action, we can help give coral reefs a fighting chance for the future.”
MSC Foundation said in a press release that while coral reefs are already suffering significant damage, the assessment warns that the greatest threats lie ahead, making action now critical to preventing further losses and giving reefs a better chance to recover.
The MSC Foundation added that it supports global conservation science through grantmaking while implementing its own marine conservation program in The Bahamas.
At Ocean Cay, its Super Coral Reefs Program brings together Bahamian and international scientific partners to research heat-tolerant corals, grow corals in underwater nurseries and assess the effectiveness of restoration efforts in promoting reef ecosystem recovery and resilience.
The program has identified and grown critically endangered Acropora palmata (elkhorn coral), fast-growing reef builders that provide vital shelter and nursery habitats for marine life.
The Foundation’s Marine Conservation Center provides facilities for coral research and propagation as well as education.
It supports opportunities that build marine science expertise and introduces cruise guests and visitors to the importance of protecting reef ecosystems.
The foundation is monitoring its nursery-grown corals and taking protective measures against heat stress, with encouraging signs of resilience observed so far. It is also increasing its investment in research and scientific partnerships.
