Coral Reef Essay

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I. REASONS FOR CONCERN ABOUT THE HEALTH OF CORAL REEFS

Coral reefs and the species that dwell in them offer a wide variety of economic and environmental benefits. In 2003, researchers estimated the global economic value of coral reefs to be $29.8 billion. That value stems from the wealth of ecosystem services reefs provide. Whether through tourism or fishing, roughly 30 million people worldwide are “largely dependent on … reefs for their livelihoods.” Reef-related tourism benefits at least 94 countries, 23 of which derive more than 15 percent of their gross domestic product from it. And a “healthy, well-managed reef in the Indian or Pacific Oceans can yield between five and fifteen tons of seafood per square kilometer per year in perpetuity.”
Reefs also provide health and safety benefits. They protect more than 93,000 miles of shoreline in 100 countries and territories from storms and erosion by absorbing wave energy. Furthermore, many reef-dwelling species have tremendous potential for use in pharmaceuticals and other medicines. All told, roughly 850 million people live within 60 miles of coral reefs. According to the World Resources Institute, many of them are likely to derive some benefits from the ecosystem services the reefs provide.
Additionally, coral reefs are a critical environmental resource. Often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea,” reefs are some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on earth. Reefs are home to a diversity of plant life, providing a wealth of food for fish. As they do with shoreline, reefs shelter marine life from waves and storms. Due to their unique ecological properties, coral reefs “support more species per unit area than any other marine environment.” But these ecosy...

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...HGs levels produce two effects that adversely affect reefs. First, warming temperatures raise the temperature of the sea surface as well. Elevated sea surface temperatures cause coral bleaching and can promote the spread of disease. And the ocean absorbs much of the carbon that is emitted in to the atmosphere. This acidifies the ocean water, and the lower pH is harmful to coral. Both phenomena must be checked if coral reefs are to be preserved.
III. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CURRENT INTERNATIONAL REGIME
There is little doubt that the current international regime is not effectively protecting coral. The statistics speak for themselves. 19 percent of the earth’s coral reefs have already been “seriously degraded or lost.” Over 60% are under “immediate and direct threat.” 90% are expected to be at risk by the 2030s. And by 2050, nearly all coral reefs will be in danger.

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