Climate, reefs and resilience: Locally-based strategies to address a global issue

Climate, reefs, and resilience

Climate change and ocean acidification--which can result in coral bleaching events, slower growth and reproduction rates, and degraded reef structure--are the most pressing global threats to coral reefs.

Why do healthy, resilient coral reefs matter to you? Healthy coral reefs support an astounding diversity of marine life. They also provide countless benefits to people through ecosystem goods and services like coastal protection, food, jobs, medicine, recreational activities, and more.

Watch as Britt Parker, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program 's climate coordinator, explains why climate change is the biggest global threat coral reefs face today, and how fostering more resilient reefs may be an effective strategy to address the impacts of climate change.

Follow us online, on Facebook and Twitter all week to learn more about climate, reefs, resilience, and how healthy reefs support healthy coasts. Look for #NOAAHealthyReefs.

Dive deeper into these resources from the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program on efforts to tackle the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on the nation's coral reefs:

• NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Goals & Objectives
• Climate Change Strategy and Implementation Plan, 2014-2016
• Coral Reef Resilience Research and Management: Past, Present and Future!

The Coral Reef Conservation Program is part the NOAA Office for Coastal Management. For more information about our work to achieve the conservation and responsible management of coastal and ocean ecosystems, visit http://coast.noaa.gov/.