Celebrating World Water Day: The Coral Triangle
March 22 is World Water Day, a day to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of water resources. About 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all of Earth’s water. Water, especially clean water, is vital to our individual health, our collective agricultural needs, and the needs of our environment.
Big bodies of water like the oceans, seas, and lakes are important because they absorb excess heat and human-induced CO2 emissions and help to regulate our climate. Smaller bodies of water help regulate the carbon cycle, water supply, flood protection, and groundwater recharge. Below the surface, all of these bodies of water provide essential ecosystem services that allow our planet to function in a healthy way.
The Coral Triangle is one marine area with the highest marine biodiversity in the world. The Coral Triangle is located in the western Pacific Ocean and encompasses a region of marine waters between the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.
Because of the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters in some areas of the Coral Triangle, it helps contribute to productive marine ecosystems and supports the growth of plankton, which forms the base of the marine food chain. The warm waters are also a factor in the diverse marine life in the Coral Triangle, supporting the various species.
The Coral Triangle is home to 76 percent of the world’s coral species, providing habitats for fish, invertebrates, and other marine organisms. The Coral Triangle has more coral reef fish diversity than anywhere else, with 2,228 of the world’s coral reef fish species. Thirty-five species of coral reef fish found in the Coral Triangle are endemic species and are only found in this area. The Coral Triangle is also home to 6 of the world’s seven marine turtle species.
The Coral Triangle supports livelihoods and provides income and food security, particularly for coastal communities. Resources from the Coral Triangle (the tuna industry, tourism) support over 150 million people living in that area.
As with many coral reefs around the world, the Coral Triangle has experienced damage to its environment. Some of the damages are caused by climate change, overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices, unsustainable tourism activities, and plastic pollution, spreading contagions like the so-called white syndrome from sick to healthy corals.
Protecting the Coral Triangle is a global priority for local, national, and international marine conservation efforts. Conservation initiatives involve community engagement, improved fisheries management, establishing marine protected areas, and climate change mitigation measures.
On World Water Day and every day, we celebrate the natural beauty and the marvelousness of the Coral Triangle and all other bodies of water, but we also focus on how we can preserve these areas for generations to come. Here are some ways to celebrate:
- Clean up your local water source by picking up garbage and litter near your local rivers and streams.
- Reduce your water footprint by taking shorter showers or turning off the tap when you aren’t using it.
- Organize an event to raise awareness.
- Collect donations for areas with extreme needs for clean and accessible water.
- Watch a water documentary.
- Choose recycled goods while grocery shopping. It takes less water and energy to turn materials into recycled goods than to create goods with raw materials.
Water benefits not only humans but all animals and natural life that exists above and below the surface. Every effort we make to keep our water clean and protected allows our environment and planet to thrive and prosper.
