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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 3:49 p.m., Thursday, October 9, 2008

Reef protection must be a worldwide cause

Ocean acidification is threatening the health of the world's coral reefs, and a group of scientists convened by The Nature Conservancy has issued a call to attack the problem worldwide.

That call must be heeded.

The ability of coral reefs to survive and thrive is critical to both the economy and the environment. Reefs provide protection from storm waves and supply food, pharmaceuticals and support for the tourism industry.

The Honolulu Declaration on Ocean Acidification and Reef Management, prepared on O'ahu in August, calls for aggressive, coordinated actions to monitor and address this problem. The report was introduced to the World Conservation Congress in Spain.

The threat to reefs comes from both land and air. The rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and land-based pollutants are increasing acidity levels in oceans, which can harm the ability of corals to build the skeletal structure they need to survive.

Certainly, stabilizing atmospheric CO2 concentrations by reducing fossil fuel emissions is a necessary step. The world's oceans absorb about one-third of atmospheric CO2 added by human activities.

Other pollutants, including harmful nutrients from fertilizer runoff and sewage, also contribute to ocean acidity.

Among the report's recommendations: monitoring stations worldwide; managing marine-protected areas with acidification in mind; international coordination of public and private agencies; and a broad education campaign.

The report warns that without a swift and united effort, coral reefs face a major, and possibly irreversible, decline. The time to act is now.