Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 2017 — United Nations calls for action at Papahānaumokuākea [ARTICLE]
United Nations calls for action at Papahānaumokuākea
The serious impacts of coral bleaching on reefs around the world have prompted UNESCO's World Heritage Committee to urge eountries with custodianship over world heritage-listed coral reefs to to adopt ambitious climate change targets. A recent analysis by UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and NOAA's Coral Reef Watch found that without a substantial reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions, all 29 World Heritage-listed coral reefs will be unahle to support functioning eeosystems by the end of the century. In addition to Papahānaumokuākea in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Everglades National Park in Florida also has threatened coral reefs. In a press release, Earthjustice said plans to pull out of emissions reduction targets outlined in the Paris Climate Treaty threaten the two marine treasures.