Climate Change and Coral Bleaching
Thousands of people along the Kenyan coast rely on fishing activities for their livelihood, an activity which also generates a huge amount of revenue for the country. However, fishermen face a number of challenges during their day to day activities in the waters and among these is the effect of climate change on development of coral reefs. Coral reefs usually form an integral part of the marine ecosystem due to the fact that they are a breeding zone for fish and other marine organisms.
Corals are among the highly endangered ecosystems in the world. One of the factors leading to this is climate change. Climate change has resulted in rise of sea temperatures which has led to coral bleaching, an occurance that is quite destructive to the coral reefs.
The increase of global temperatures makes the corals to lose the symbiotic algae know as zooxanthellae that exists in their tissues. This algae is the one that is responsible for the various colours of the corals and act as their main food source. The loss of colour as a result of global warming and effects of pollution is what is refered to as coral bleaching which normally leaves the corals white in colour and often this leads to their death. This has an adverse effect on the marine life.
The Paris Agreement presented a milestone in combating climate change through the provision of a requirement for countries to commit and work towards limiting global temperatures to below 2 degrees celcius above pre-industrial levels and ensuring that temperature increase is limited to a maximum of 1.5 degrees celcius. If observed keenly by all stakeholders we would see a reversal of such negative impacts of climate change.
Other than that, there is also need to discourage poor fishing techniques and pollution of the marine ecosystem. The Kenyan has put some effort to conserve the coral reefs by stopping or controlling fishing in specific areas and training and educating the local communities on ways of growing and nurturing the coral reefs. Coral reef transplanting has proven to be effective on some parts of the Kenyan coast such as Wasini on the south coast. Such steps can be replicated elsewhere to save the corals from disappearing.
There is need for global attention and patnerships in order to effectively address such challenges posed by climate change.
Corals are among the highly endangered ecosystems in the world. One of the factors leading to this is climate change. Climate change has resulted in rise of sea temperatures which has led to coral bleaching, an occurance that is quite destructive to the coral reefs.
Bleached corals
source: Genetic Literacy ProjectThe increase of global temperatures makes the corals to lose the symbiotic algae know as zooxanthellae that exists in their tissues. This algae is the one that is responsible for the various colours of the corals and act as their main food source. The loss of colour as a result of global warming and effects of pollution is what is refered to as coral bleaching which normally leaves the corals white in colour and often this leads to their death. This has an adverse effect on the marine life.
Coral bleaching process
source: NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation ProgramThe Paris Agreement presented a milestone in combating climate change through the provision of a requirement for countries to commit and work towards limiting global temperatures to below 2 degrees celcius above pre-industrial levels and ensuring that temperature increase is limited to a maximum of 1.5 degrees celcius. If observed keenly by all stakeholders we would see a reversal of such negative impacts of climate change.
Other than that, there is also need to discourage poor fishing techniques and pollution of the marine ecosystem. The Kenyan has put some effort to conserve the coral reefs by stopping or controlling fishing in specific areas and training and educating the local communities on ways of growing and nurturing the coral reefs. Coral reef transplanting has proven to be effective on some parts of the Kenyan coast such as Wasini on the south coast. Such steps can be replicated elsewhere to save the corals from disappearing.
There is need for global attention and patnerships in order to effectively address such challenges posed by climate change.
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