Skip to content
  • Home
  • Our Work
    • Our Work
    • Climate
      • Net Zero Carbon
      • Sustainable Finance
    • Sustainability & Circular Economy
      • Sustainable Palm Oil
      • Circular Economy
    • Nature & Biodiversity
      • Illegal Wildlife Trade
      • Marine Conservation
      • Forest Landscape Restoration
    • Closer to Home
      • Future Sustainability Leaders
      • Green Cities
  • About Us
    • About us
    • Chairman & CEO Message
    • Board of Directors
    • Senior Management
    • Whistleblowing Policy
    • Personal Data Protection Policy
    • Work With Us
    • Volunteering
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Annual Reports
    • News, Reports & Events
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Government Partnerships
    • Philanthropy
  • Home
  • Our Work
    • Our Work
    • Climate
      • Net Zero Carbon
      • Sustainable Finance
    • Sustainability & Circular Economy
      • Sustainable Palm Oil
      • Circular Economy
    • Nature & Biodiversity
      • Illegal Wildlife Trade
      • Marine Conservation
      • Forest Landscape Restoration
    • Closer to Home
      • Future Sustainability Leaders
      • Green Cities
  • About Us
    • About us
    • Chairman & CEO Message
    • Board of Directors
    • Senior Management
    • Whistleblowing Policy
    • Personal Data Protection Policy
    • Work With Us
    • Volunteering
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Annual Reports
    • News, Reports & Events
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Government Partnerships
    • Philanthropy
Menu
  • Support WWF
    • Donate
    • Adopt
    • Fundraiser
  • Support WWF
    • Donate
    • Adopt
    • Fundraiser
  • Home
  • Our Work
    • Our Work
    • Climate
      • Net Zero Carbon
      • Sustainable Finance
    • Sustainability & Circular Economy
      • Sustainable Palm Oil
      • Circular Economy
    • Nature & Biodiversity
      • Illegal Wildlife Trade
      • Marine Conservation
      • Forest Landscape Restoration
    • Closer to Home
      • Future Sustainability Leaders
      • Green Cities
  • About Us
    • About us
    • Chairman & CEO Message
    • Board of Directors
    • Senior Management
    • Whistleblowing Policy
    • Personal Data Protection Policy
    • Work With Us
    • Volunteering
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Annual Reports
    • News, Reports & Events
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Government Partnerships
    • Philanthropy
DONATE
ADOPT
SHOP

Building a future in which people live in harmony with nature

Facebook Instagram Youtube Linkedin Twitter

Home » Coral climate crunch could displace millions

Coral climate crunch could displace millions

May 13, 2009

Manado, Indonesia – If the world does not take effective action on climate change, coral reefs will disappear from the Coral Triangle by the end of the century, the ability of the region’s coastal environments to feed people will decline by 80 per cent, and the livelihoods of around 100 million people will have been lost or severely impacted.


(C) Cat Holloway / WWF-CANON

But effective global action on climate change and regional attention to problems of over-fishing and pollution would prevent catastrophe, according to a WWF-commissioned environmental, economic and social study of possible scenarios outlined to the World Oceans Conference here today.

The Coral Triangle and Climate Change: Ecosystems, People and Societies at Risk considers over 300 published scientific studies and includes the work of over 20 experts in fields such as biology, economics and fisheries science to present two different possible futures this century for the world’s richest marine environment — the coasts, reefs and seas of the six countries of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste.

The Coral Triangle, just one per cent of the earth’s surface, includes 30 per cent of the world’s coral reefs, 76 per cent of its reef building coral species and more than 35 per cent of its coral reef fish species as well as vital spawning grounds for other economically important fish such as tuna. It sustains the lives of more than 100 million people.

“In one world scenario, we continue along our current climate trajectory and do little to protect coastal environments from the onslaught of local threats,” says Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of the University of Queensland, who led the study.

“In this world, people see the biological treasures of the Coral Triangle destroyed over the course of the century by rapid increases in ocean temperature, acidity and sea level, while the resilience of coastal environments also deteriorates under faltering coastal management. Poverty increases, food security plummets, economies suffer and coastal people migrate increasingly to urban areas.”

“Tens of millions of people are forced to move from rural and coastal settings due to loss of homes, food resources and income, putting pressure on regional cities and surrounding developed nations such as Australian and New Zealand.”


(C) Jurgen Freund / WWF-CANON

However the report also shows there is an opportunity to avoid a worst-case scenario in the region and instead build a resilient and robust Coral Triangle in which economic growth, food security and natural environments are maintained if significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are backed up by international investment in strengthening the region’s natural environments.

“This leads to climate change in the Coral Triangle which is challenging but manageable and which responds well to regional action to reduce local environmental stresses from overfishing, pollution, and declining coastal water quality and health,” Professor Hoegh-Guldberg said.

Even under the best case scenario however, communities will face loss of coral, sea level rises, increased storm activity, severe droughts and reduced food availability from coastal fisheries. A key difference, however, is that communities remain reasonably intact and more resilient in the face of these hardships.


(C) Cat Holloway / WWF-CANON

“Effective management of coastal resources through a range of options including locally-managed regional networks of marine protected areas, protection of mangrove and seagrass beds and effective management of fisheries results in a slower decline in these resources,” the summary report said.

“The relationship between people and the sea in the Coral Triangle has come under extreme threat from rapid climate change and escalating local and regional environmental pressures,” said WWF International Director General James Leape.

“These pressures are increasing at such an alarming rate that urgent regional and international action must now be taken to avoid an ecological and human catastrophe.

“World leaders must support Coral Triangle countries in their efforts to protect their most vulnerable communities from rising sea levels and loss of food and livelihoods by helping them to strengthen management of their marine resources and by forging a strong agreement on greenhouse gas reductions at the UN Climate Conference at Copenhagen in December this year.” 

PrevBack to Previous Page
NextNext

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

RELATED LINKS

SUMMARY – Coral Triangle and Climate Change; Ecosystems, People and Societies at Risk

REPORT – Coral Triangle and Climate Change; Ecosystems, People and Societies at Risk

WWF at the World Oceans Conference

More Information on WWF’s work in the Coral Triangle

Navigate the Coral Triangle with our photo expedition

SHARE THIS

RELATED ARTICLES

Loading...
May 16, 2025

Add Your Heading Text Here

WWF Earth Summit 2025: Accelerating the Climate–Nature Transition for a Net Positive Future

March 22, 2025

Add Your Heading Text Here

A City Dims, a Nation Shines: WWF Earth Hour Festival at Sentosa Sensoryscape Unites Thousands Across Singapore to Drive Sustained Collaboration for a Nature-Positive Future

March 10, 2025

Add Your Heading Text Here

WWF Earth Hour Festival 2025 at Sentosa Sensoryscape will feature community driven engagement at Singapore’s green connector and empower the public to adopt climate and nature-positive habits for SG60 and beyond

January 23, 2025

Add Your Heading Text Here

Agoda Expands Its Eco Deals Program Pledging Up to $1.5 Million to Fund Critical Conservation Projects Across 10 Asian Markets in Partnership with WWF

Facebook Instagram Youtube Linkedin X-twitter

Help us build a future in which people live in harmony with nature

Contact Us
354 Tanglin Road #02-11, Tanglin Block Tanglin International Centre Singapore 247672

+65 6730 8100

info@wwf.sg

Our Work
  • Climate
  • Sustainability & Circular Economy
  • Nature & Biodiversity
  • Closer to Home
  • Climate
  • Sustainability & Circular Economy
  • Nature & Biodiversity
  • Closer to Home
About Us
  • About us
  • Chairman & CEO’s Note
  • Board of Directors
  • Senior Management
  • Whistleblowing Policy
  • Personal Data Protection Policy
  • Work With Us
  • Volunteering
  • About us
  • Chairman & CEO’s Note
  • Board of Directors
  • Senior Management
  • Whistleblowing Policy
  • Personal Data Protection Policy
  • Work With Us
  • Volunteering
Resources
  • Annual reports
  • News, Reports & Events
  • Blog
  • Annual reports
  • News, Reports & Events
  • Blog
Partnerships
  • Corporate Partnerships
  • Government Partnerships
  • Philanthropy
  • Corporate Partnerships
  • Government Partnerships
  • Philanthropy
Support WWF
  • Donate
  • Adopt
  • Fundraiser
  • Donate
  • Adopt
  • Fundraiser

©️ 2022 WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature (Singapore) Limited (UEN 200602275E) |
©️ 1986 Panda Symbol WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund) | ®️ “WWF” is a WWF Registered Trademark

Eco School Registration

Particulars of Teacher-In-Charge

Preferred days and timings for workshops

(Read more about the workshops on the website)