Climate change is currently being felt around the world, largely due to human activities such as deforestation and the use of fossil fuels. Quoted from Reef Resilience, by 2100 atmospheric temperatures are predicted to increase by around 2.5°C. An increase in atmospheric temperature can lead to an increase in ocean temperature, which is projected to result in coral bleaching and sea level rise. This prediction could raise major concerns about the future existence of coral reefs around the world.
According to Mongabay, the increase in sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification is expected to eliminate almost all coral reef ecosystems within a period of about 100 years at most. Tonny Wagey, Head of the Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund’s Marine and Fisheries Working Group, said that Indonesia’s coral reefs could disappear by 2050 due to the impacts of climate change. Based on Reef Resilience data, in the Pacific region almost 50% of coral reefs are threatened; mass bleaching of coral reefs has now occurred in all regions of the world. During most of the 2050s, it is projected that 95% of coral reefs will experience high stress and heat potential due to ocean acidification. By 2050 it is predicted that only about 15% of coral reefs will be in areas where aragonite levels are sufficient for coral growth.
