China News Service, Paris, April 14. UNESCO launched an emergency plan on the 14th to protect the coral reef world heritage site.

All world heritage-listed coral reefs face the same danger: they could disappear by the end of the century, the group warns.

　　The Global Coral Reef Fund supports the emergency plan announced by UNESCO Director-General Azoulay at the "Our Oceans" conference on the same day.

She also called on the international community to mobilize to prevent the extinction of coral reefs.

　　Unesco World Heritage-listed coral reefs total more than 500,000 square kilometers and exhibit outstanding biodiversity; at the same time they play a key role in sequestering carbon emissions and protecting coastlines from storms and erosion; their health and The survival of more than a hundred indigenous communities is at stake.

In addition, they are a reference point for the impact of climate change on coral reefs around the world.

　　However, scientific data on these reefs reflect a very worrying situation.

They are bleaching much faster than previous expert estimates.

These "bleached" corals are extremely vulnerable to starvation and disease, and their mortality rates are increasing.

This year saw the first mass coral bleaching, even during the traditionally cooler La Niña period.

If current emissions continue until the end of the century, all World Heritage-listed coral reefs could disappear by then.

　　According to reports, the plans will build on the "Resilient Coral Reefs" initiative launched by UNESCO and its partners at the last "Our Oceans" conference in 2018.

The Resilient Reef Initiative shows that proactive interventions can reduce local stress and empower local communities to help them maintain their incomes and livelihoods in a changing world.

　　Coral reef conservation and restoration is one of the key actions of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Oceans Decade 2021-2030) recognized by UNESCO.

The Resilient Reef Initiative will run through 2024, raising a total of $10 million.

　　In addition, the partnership between UNESCO and the Global Coral Reef Fund will increase investment in climate change resilience strategies for World Heritage coral reefs in developing countries.

There are 29 World Heritage-listed coral reefs around the world, and the partnership will explore opportunities for collaboration, prioritizing support for 19 of them in developing countries.

(Finish)