#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

Introduction
Some of the larger foundations in USA, Japan and Australia are emphasising coral reef
projects and assisting NGOs in direct activities to establish large MPAs or link existing
ones in order to arrest the degradation of coral reefs. For example, USAID and the UN
Foundation announced a grant at WSSD of $3 million to ICRAN to tackle coral reef
problems along the Caribbean coast of Central America.
An essential requirement for ocean management and sustainable development is an improved
understanding of marine and coastal processes and resources. This must be founded on
sound data and information gathered routinely from all parts of the world. The IOC
(Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission) of UNESCO, World Meteorological
Organisation, UNEP with assistance from International Council for Science and the UN Food
and Agriculture Organisation are establishing the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), in
which coastal monitoring will be an important component. The GCRMN is a critical partner,
particularly as it provides data on coral reef status and changes that are linked to global
climate change. Coral bleaching is a key topic in this report, and it is conceivable that coral
reefs may prove to be the first major marine ecosystem to be significantly impacted by global
climate change. New data on coral reef dynamics and impacts of heat stress will be
investigated under the developing targeted research effort on coral sustainability.
Accurate and accessible information on the state of coral reef ecosystems is essential for
informed and effective management, but it is also recognised that there is a need for
assessment of the social, cultural and economic values pertinent to reefs. UNEP (United
Nations Environment Programme) and the Regional Seas Programme are collaborating
with the GCRMN to promote monitoring of coral reefs and user communities to improve
the flow of pertinent information. UNEP established the Coral Reef Unit in 2000 to
coordinate activities within the organisation, as well as provide links to the wider
community of researchers, multilateral environmental agreements, Governments, and
NGOs. The goal is to assist in international efforts to save coral reefs and associated
ecosystems worldwide. UNEP insists that efforts at the global and regional levels must
result provide practical benefits for the well-being of local communities, their economies
and for coral reefs. UNEP, and particularly the Regional Seas programs, works with ICRI
and its operational networks like the GCRMN, to assist developing countries with reef
conservation and monitoring. The new edition of the Status of Coral Reefs of the World
makes extensive information on coral reefs readily available and accessible to a wide
audience. Equally important, the collaborative process of putting together this report
illustrates what can be achieved when people and organisations collaborate.
It is well recognised that NGOs (non-governmental organisations) play an effective role in
conservation of coral reefs and, in particular, providing monitoring information for the
GCRMN. The IUCN – The World Conservation Union assists the GCRMN by catalysing
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