Climate change adaptation
Globally, half a billion people live within 100 km of reefs, the vast majority in developing world nations with high dependence on coral reef resources for subsistence and income.
Yet the world's coral reefs are now deteriorating on a scale that predicts the loss of sixty percent by 2030. Recent studies show that twenty percent of the planet’s 285,000 square kilometres of reefs are now degraded beyond the point of recovery.
Many of the worst-case 2007 IPCC projections are already being realised. Given forecast trends of global population growth, rising greenhouse gas emissions and increased marine resource use, these impacts show few signs of abating.
Ironically, nations with the highest dependence on coral reefs are responsible for only a small fraction of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, yet these countries will experience some of the most devastating short-term impacts.
Blue Ventures works with communities in Madagascar living on the front line of climate change, and are extremely vulnerable to the changes that climate change may bring. We’re developing adaptation strategies to shore up ecosystem resilience, develop sustainable alternative livelihood programmes, help communities adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
