A report conducted and recently released by the World Resources Institute and over two dozen conservation and research groups, announced that unless changes are made, coral reefs across every ocean could be wiped out permanently.
The destruction is attributed to warmer water temperatures caused by global warming, ocean acidification, shipping, overfishing, coastal development, and agricultural runoff. Each of these factors damage coral reefswhich then turn white -- a stress response that causes them to show their skeletons. The report says by 2030 up to 90% of reefs will be threatened, with that number reaching 100% by 2050. Beyond the troubling environmental repercussions, experts say this will have negative effects on the economy as coastal communities depend on reefs as sources of food and tourist income.
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