Climate change destroying Coral Triangle

Coral triangle is the most diverse marine environment in the world. It covers more than 5.4 million square kilometers, with over 600 reef-building coral species which encompasses 75 percent of all species known in the world. This area is not only rich with corals but also with fish as there are more than 3,000 species of fish live in the Coral Triangle, including the largest fish - the whale shark. But this area of extremely rich biodiversity is under great jeopardy of being destroyed by the end of the century unless world makes quick action to tackle climate change and global warming.

WWF, the international conservation group has issued a warning that we have already lost 40% of reefs in the Coral Triangle, and unless world makes quick action to curb emissions this number will be significantly bigger in years to come. What people fail to see the importance of corals, and the possible consequences of what is gonna happen if world's largest coral reefs get destroyed.

The worst possible scenario includes hunger for hundred of millions of people across south-east Asia. These people rely on fish for food, and without coral reefs there won't be fish either, and hunger will rule the lives of many people. Such scenario could happen by the end of the century because changes are so drastic that even scientists were surprised with current data.

System is changing very quickly, and world has in the last 40 years lost 40 percent of coral reefs and mangroves, and what is even more alarming these changes happened with only a 0.7 degree temperature increase. So you can imagine what's going to happen if we pass two degree Celsius temperature increase, or God forbid even more.

The importance of Coral Triangle is really immense. The Coral Triangle contains a third of all the world's coral, and three-quarters of its coral reef species. Sadly problems with oceans have been neglected on global political scale. We seem to be forgetting that oceans absorb large quantities of CO2 that would instead end up in atmosphere, and cause even bigger climate change impact. If we continue with our emissions and pollution oceans will lose their productivity. Without oceans productivity world will really have no chance to tackle global warming and climate change. Our oceans need us but we need them much more.