Nairobi Convention Marine and Coastal News Round-up (26 June 2020) |

Welcome, Nairobi Convention Member States, partners, and friends, to this installment of the Weekly News Round-up! Please keep reading to find out what’s new in efforts to protect, conserve and develop the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. We look forward to continuing our work with you to create a prosperous WIO region with healthy rivers, coasts, and oceans. Do you have any events, research, or scientific publications on the Western Indian Ocean that you would like to be included in the round-up? Write to [email protected]!

News

It’s all about the [coral] data

This article in the latest issue of ECO Magazine highlights the Western Indian Ocean Global Coral Monitoring Network (GCRMN) coral reef network’s efforts to share and report on coral data as an essential part of motivating action to save coral reefs. It discusses how collaborative data aggregation initiatives are helping to support critical research to inform management of coral reefs at the local to global scales.

Innovation for Sustainability Grant: Calls for Submission of Concept Notes

WIOMSA is pleased to announce an inaugural call to support innovative actions through the Innovation for Sustainability Grant programme. The goal of the programme is to support the development and testing of transformative, paradigm-shifting concepts and approaches that address and enhance our understanding of marine and coastal environmental issues.

Call for submissions: The 6th World Mangrove Day Photography Awards

Ahead of the International Mangrove Day, the Mangrove Action Project invites you to submit photos for a chance to be part of a special exhibition that will not only help highlight the beauty of these undervalued coastal ecosystems, but will help identify important projects, areas, and pressures that are threatening our mangroves. The deadline for entries is Friday, 24th July! #ForNature.

Thresholds of mangrove survival under rapid sea level rise

The threshold beyond which the world’s mangrove forests can survive could be reached within the next 30 years if sea levels continue to rise at their current pace and greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed, according to new research. This research explores the limits of mangrove vertical accretion to sustained periods of high rates of relative sea level rise(RSLR) in the final stages of deglaciation.

Study: Coral reefs are ‘glowing’ in a desperate bid to survive warmer seas

A global study has revealed exactly why corals glow during ocean heatwaves: to try and survive. The research shows that some corals exhibit a dazzling colourful display when they suffer bleaching due to warmer temperatures—to protect themselves. The study suggests that corals develop extreme colouration within 2 to 3 weeks after exposure to mild or temporary heat stress.

Six Ways Nature Can Protect Us from Climate Change

Restoring and protecting nature is one of the greatest strategies for tackling climate change, but not just for the obvious reason that it sucks carbon out the air. Forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems act as buffers against extreme weather, protecting houses, crops, water supplies and vital infrastructure. Here are six ways that nature can defend us from climate change impacts:

Nearly One Fifth of World’s Ocean Floor Now Mapped

Nearly a fifth of the world’s entire ocean floor has now been mapped, with the new data equating to an area twice the size of Australia. Coverage of the seabed has risen from 15 percent to 19 percent in the last year. When Seabed 2030 was launched in 2017, only six per cent of the oceans had been mapped to modern standards.

Protecting bays from ocean acidification

As oceans absorb more human-made carbon dioxide from the air, a process of ocean acidification occurs that can have a negative impact on marine life. But coastal waterways, such as the Chesapeake Bay, can also suffer from low oxygen and acidification. New research identifies one way to protect these waterways — the presence of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV).

News

Author: Nairobi Convention

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