Vision
Statement
To
stop the destruction of the world's coral reefs by 2020 and
restore their beauty, health and abundance within this century.
It is Spring 2012. The
Coral Reef Satellite Mission (CRSM) was launched in 2010 and is
circling our planet, transmitting real-time data about the state of
the world's coral reefs back to Earth daily. The "eye in the sky" is
performing beautifully, exactly as MIT's Center for Space Research
designed. The Science Operations Center at Scripps Institution of
Oceanography has just completed the first global baseline map of
coral reefs. People around the world are logging on to
www.pcrf.org, downloading data and images
for free, discovering the hidden world of coral reefs and witnessing
the changes in their health and vitality. Response has been
overwhelming and is building, with several million visits to the web
site every day!
PCRF's research vessel is currently in South East Asia, sending and
receiving streaming video via satellite to classrooms and exhibition
spaces worldwide, showing close-up images of what the satellite
cameras are detecting in coral reefs from space. Already well
established in US schools, our coral reef learning programs are now
offered internationally and include a live-link between classrooms
and PCRF's ship.
The Global Coral Reef Map
is revealing new reef habitats in the remote Central Pacific basin
that correlate with fish and marine mammal breeding grounds. We
have also discovered that corals occupy a far smaller proportion of
reefs than science predicted, but their primary productivity is far
greater than previously estimated. This critical information has
convinced the United Nations to establish the International Coral
Reef Treaty and create a global network of marine reserves to
protect ocean resources.
A new awareness is
emerging - of Earth as an Ocean Planet. Citizens around the world
now clearly understand the link between coral health, planetary
health and their own health. This, in turn, is leading to an
unprecedented worldwide effort to save coral reefs, oceans and the
natural environment.
People everywhere are
taking matters into their own hands, working to reverse coral reef
degradation and decline. Public policy - locally, regionally,
nationally and globally - now routinely incorporates coral reef
stewardship and ocean conservation at a level surpassing even that
of the rainforest. In support of this, we have launched our
Coral Reef Restoration Program, and it is gaining momentum
worldwide.
Our campaign to Save
Coral Reefs is now making a difference on a planetary scale.
Our vision - to stop the destruction of the world's coral reefs
by 2020 and restore their beauty, health and abundance within this
century - is not only being realized, but is leading to the
beginnings of an intelligent world community: NGO;s, governments
and ordinary people all working together for the future of Planet
Earth.
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