Global Coastal Ecosystems Disappearing at an Accelerated Pace

The State of the World’s Coastal Ecosystems report indicates that over the past 50 years, the annual net loss rate of typical ecosystems such as seagrass beds and coral reefs has exceeded 1%, with tropical regions being particularly hard hit. Coral calcification rates in the Caribbean Sea have declined by 30%, while the Great Barrier Reef now experiences bleaching events every five years. Climate change and overexploitation are the primary causes.