What are the biggest dangers to the coral reefs in order of importance?
The biggest threats are over-fishing and illegal fishing, sedimentation and land-based source pollution. Other threats include climate change and unsustainable coastal development. Destruction of reefs can be due to particular local conditions, such as nearby water pollution. But the impact of the destruction is global. We estimate that the world has lost 20 percent of its original area of coral reefs; 15 percent are seriously threatened with loss within the next 10 to 20 years. About 85 percent of the reefs have been damaged or destroyed in the Philippines, 75 percent in Indonesia, 60 percent in Malaysia, and 90 percent in Singapore. In Papua New Guinea, the lack of reef data does not enable us to have a good estimate, but we absolutely need to intensify our effort as coral reefs are known to have a high biodiversity.
