Emily Shelton
Source: The Ecologist
September 29, 2010

Weak climate change targets could mean the end of coral reefs by 2100 if ‘urgent action' isn't taken. A new report by the Institute of Physics (IOP) suggests nations have failed to commit to high enough targets to reduce emissions, and warns, unless these are raised, CO2 levels leading to ocean acidification could destroy coral reefs by the end of the century.

The IOP's analysis of the Copenhagen Accord, the international pledge agreed at last year's Copenhagen climate change conference, criticises individual nations' targets to reduce emissions as too 'low' and 'weak' and states a global temperature increase of up to 4.2 º C and the end of coral reefs could become reality by 2100 if national targets are not revised.

Rick MacPherson, Conservation Programs Director at the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), says: ‘This is a global crisis. We all receive direct or indirect benefits from healthy coral reef ecosystems.'

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