Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

Introduction
Environment Programme) and IUCN (The World Conservation Union), with assistance of
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation). The GCRMN is a critical component of this
system as monitoring of coral reefs is particularly important because of the apparent links
between global climate change and coral bleaching illustrated in this report. Coral reefs
may yet prove to be the first major marine ecosystem to show significant impacts from
global climate change.
A major focus of UNEP is to provide accurate and accessible information on the state of our
environment for informed decision-making, adaptive management action and policysetting.
The partnerships and active networks, collaborating through the Regional Seas
Programme of UNEP, are working with the GCRMN to promote and coordinate monitoring
of coral reefs throughout the tropics. Assessments of social, cultural and economic values
of reefs serve to highlight the close relationship between reefs and coastal communities.
UNEP is a co-sponsor of the GCRMN, and a member of ICRI since it was launched in 1994.
UNEP is a partner in the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN), an operational unit
under the ICRI umbrella, with the goal of catalysing concerted action for protection of coral
reef resources.
Monitoring by non-governmental organisations is a major component of the GCRMN, both
using advanced methods, or the more basic ones of Reef Check. IUCN interacts with 900
members in nearly 140 countries and some of these are active in coral reef monitoring and
conservation. These linkages are provided to the GCRMN to broaden its influence and
encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity
of coral reefs. Another critical process is addressing the links between coral reef status and
global climate change via interactions with the Convention on Biological Diversity, the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. IUCN helps provide these links
by being an active member of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) and a co-sponsor
of the GCRMN.
Healthy coral reefs are critical to the livelihoods and cultures of millions of people in
tropical coastal environments, as well as forming part of the crucial life support system of
the biosphere. A major theme of the World Bank is alleviating poverty, therefore it is
essential to understand the fundamental nature of factors that determine the productivity,
diversity, and resilience of coral reefs. Monitoring and assessment are keys to such
understanding. Therefore the World Bank is partnering with the GCRMN in four of the five
coral reef regions of the world to promote monitoring and information for decision making
as part of its expanding program of national and regional initiatives to improve the
management of coral reefs. The contribution of the GCRMN via this latest edition of the
Status of Coral Reefs will be a vital handbook for managers and serve as an important
benchmark for our efforts to reverse degradation of coral reefs and measure progress
toward their conservation around the world. The GCRMN also makes a significant
contribution by bringing people and organisations at all levels into the process.
Unfortunately, many coral reefs are overfished and so damaged that they no longer provide
sufficient income and food for people in developing countries. ICLARM is examining how
marine protected areas can serve as fisheries reserves, and how to restore or increase
productivity. The potential methods include restocking wild populations, developing
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