Dr Paul Sullivan is a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and senior research associate at the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies
August 04, 2022
Coral reefs cover 1 per cent of the ocean floor, but support 25 per cent of the known marine life of the planet. They are the nurseries for much of the fish and marine life that we enjoy and consume.
One billion people rely on coral reefs for employment, income, food and protection, either directly or indirectly. Hundreds of millions of jobs are associated with reefs, such as diving, tourism and fishing. As well as being a major source of protein for many people, coral reefs are also potential sources of important medicines for arthritis, cancer and blood diseases.
They add $36 billion to world tourism income and they may add as much as $3 trillion to the world economy. Coral reefs protect land, properties and ecosystems surrounding them. As they are superb wave breaks, many coastal communities, hotel chains, industries and governments rely on them. But the world has lost 50 per cent of its reefs since 1950, and their biodiversity has dropped by 63 per cent. If this trend continues we may lose 90 per cent of them by 2050.
The greatest threats to reefs are global warming, pollution, overbuilding, overfishing and illegal fishing, population growth and the increased acidity of the ocean; 25 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions are absorbed by the ocean, making it more acidic. More than 90 per cent of increased heat as a result of climate change is absorbed by the sea.
The shells will help to form biological building blocks to create artificial reefs. All photos: Dubai Oyster Project
Pupils from The Arbor School in Dubai have teamed up with a restaurant group for the Dubai Oyster Project.
They are using used oyster shells from The Maine restaurants in Dubai, which are usually just thrown out and end up in landfills, to create artificial reefs.
They placed more than 250,000 of the used shells near the Ghantoot border.
They used illegal fishing nets seized by authorities to help transport the shells to the water's edge.
The project will also help to reduce the amount of food waste.
The subsequent rise in temperature and acidity cause coral bleaching and disease. The massive bleaching events in the Great Barrier Reef are horrific examples of this. Corals in the GCC have suffered a similar fate. Fortunately, some northern Red Sea corals have so far not been harmed as much by rising temperatures, but that does not mean they won’t be if the trend continues.
The population of the GCC has grown vastly, especially since the 1970s. Along with this rise in population came the growth of industry, shipping and cities. All of this has put pressure on reefs. Tourism, another sector that has seen significant expansion in the region, can be damaging to reefs.
Fortunately, laws and regulations have changed in many areas of the GCC. And ecotourism in some places is now actually becoming a means to help protect reefs.
In the years ahead, tourism as a percentage of GDP has the potential to be much more than the present 8 per cent in Oman, as much as 10 per cent for Saudi Arabia, more than 12 per cent for the UAE and almost 17 per cent for Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia has great plans for ecotourism. Neom, a vast new and futuristic city the government is investing in, will have coral reefs as part of its tourism plan. The UAE is also developing marine ecotourism. In 2021, the ecotourism sector in the GCC was worth more than $500 million, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia dominating.
The region’s fishing sector is relatively small, but its imports are huge. GCC consumers, therefore, can also help fragile reefs by using their purchasing power to move exporters to more sustainable methods of fishing.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Getty
In terms of official initiatives to protect marine ecosystems, Saudi Arabia is pursuing the huge investment of the Saudi Green Initiative. Vision 2030, the county’s development plan up until 2030, also has provisions for the environment, and the kingdom is currently pursuing eco-partnerships with Unesco and Monaco’s Prince Albert II Foundation, among many other international organisations. The Red Sea Development Corporation is also taking up the mantle.
For the UAE’s part, the country has been taking action: from sinking boat hulls to create artificial reefs, to outlawing sand removal and certain types of fishing that damage reefs. The country has also developed many marine protected areas and parks and has toughened up laws and regulations to protect reefs.
There is important work also being done in other parts of the GCC. Petroleum Development Oman and Sultan Qaboos University have some significant coral development projects, among many other legal, regulatory and research efforts.
Bahrain is rebuilding coral reefs ruined by the dredging of canals with the help of The Rotary Club, an international humanitarian organisation.
The G20’s Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform, the Kuwait Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas, as well as the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment, based in Kuwait, are other examples of GCC multinational approaches to this important issue.
Each of these countries could benefit massively from protecting their reefs. Future ecotourism incomes could be many times what they are now, and many jobs could be created. Most of all, protecting reefs is an important responsibility for safeguarding the region’s natural heritage for future generations. Can any country afford to lose these delicate and life-sustaining places? The answer is a resounding no.
Dr Paul Sullivan is a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films Director: Remo D’Souza Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem Rating: 2.5 stars
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
