Coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth. In addition to serving as a habitat and food resource for 25% of marine species, they provide the world with nearly EUR 2.5 billion in goods and services each year. The Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS) helps NGOs like Coral Guardian make sure these valuable ecosystems don’t disappear as a result of harmful human activity.
Key figures
corals transplanted
more fish in restored areas
indicators and counting available through the CMEMS Ocean Climate
The challenge
40% of coral reefs have disappeared in merely a few decades. Due to a combination of climate change and pollution, marine conditions are leading to stress on coral reefs like never before.
The solution
The French NGO Coral Guardian has stepped up to help restore coral reefs with assistance from CMEMS data. The NGO uses CMEMS information on sea surface temperature and ocean currents to identify reef restoration zones and monitor environmental stressors. It also started the Coral Guardian Community to expand its participatory marine conservation model worldwide, involving local communities in coral restoration.
Results and impacts
Over the past seven years, Coral Guardian has transplanted over 78 000 corals with the help of CMEMS. The result? Fish populations in the restored areas increased 26x during the restoration period. Plus, the NGO’s awareness raising efforts have alerted politicians and hundreds of thousands of people to the urgent situation facing coral reefs.