Dr Lizzie Tyler has seen coral reefs bleach and crumble. She feels that we need to do more to protect these biodiverse ecosystems, which provide many of the world's poorest people with protein-rich food in the form of fish.

Lizzie Tyler has made a specialism of studying the effects of different types of marine reserves on coral reef fish populations in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Over the past 10 years, her work has involved working closely with local fishermen and setting up long-term monitoring on some of the coral reefs surrounding Zanzibar.

Lizzie has recently been working for an ecological consultancy which assesses the ecological impacts of conservation programmes and other human activities on marine and riverine ecosystems all over the world.

Join the campaign to save the world's coral reefs!

Coral reefs are the most biologically diverse habitats of the oceans and provide essential ecosystem goods and services to hundreds of millions of people.

Temperature-induced mass coral bleaching causing widespread mortality on the Great Barrier Reef and many other reefs of the world started when atmospheric CO₂ exceeded 320ppm.

At today’s level of approximately 387ppm CO₂, reefs are seriously declining and time-lagged effects will result in their continued demise with parallel impacts on other marine and coastal ecosystems.

Proposals to limit CO₂ levels to 450ppm will not prevent the catastrophic loss of coral reefs from the combined effects of global warming and ocean acidification.

To ensure the long-term viability of coral reefs the atmospheric CO₂ level must be reduced significantly below 350ppm.

In addition to major reductions in CO₂ emissions, achieving this safe level will require the active removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

Given the above, ecosystem-based management of other direct human induced stresses on coral reefs, such as overfishing, destructive fishing, coastal pollution and sedimentation, will be essential for the survival of coral reefs on which so many people depend.

View and download the statement and supporting signatories, including Working Group Co-Chair Sir David Attenborough: Statement Of The Coral Reef Crisis Working Group

See a ppoerpoint presentation by Professor J.E.N Veron, the former Chief Scientist of the Australian Institute of Marine Science and widely regarded as the world’s leading authority on coral reef ecosystems, presented the effects that climate change is having on coral reefs.

A video of this presentation is available here.