Millions of people may be affected by loss of coral reefs in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean

Although corals occupy only a small part of global sea areas, they are extremely important for marine biodiversity, including sectors that are of great value for human livelihoods. Cited in the environmental newsletter DownToEarth, Roxy Mathew Koll, who is a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, said: “…they [corals] occupy only 0.1 per cent of the global sea surfaces. But more than 25 per cent of marine biodiversity is supported by them, which includes fisheries as well. They are the first that get affected by high temperatures.”

The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, which was recently released, highlights how global warming (together with other human activities) are a threat to coral reefs. There are about 3.35 million fishers in Southeast Asia, and around the Indian Ocean the corresponding figure is 1.5 million. In an economic context, examples of losses include staggering figures estimated to range between $27.78 and $31.72 million per year in Nharang Bay, Vietnam, depending on different scenarios. As another example, the coral reefs of St. Martin’s Island in Bangladesh contribute $33.6 million per year to the local economy.

The threats that these habitats are experiencing are caused by rising temperatures, ocean acidification due to the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and many other human-related pressures. Bleaching of coral reefs is already a tragic fact in these and many other waters.

Sources: Down to Earth, 8 March 2022, https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/degradation-lo...

IPCC 6th AR WGII https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-working-group-ii/