We would like to share with you that the release date for Reefs at Risk Revisited is set! We will launch the report on February 23, 2011 with two simultaneous events on each side of the Atlantic—one in Washington, DC and one in London. More details on the times and venues will follow as the date gets closer. Reefs at Risk Revisited is an update of WRI’s 1998 global analysis of threats to coral reefs using new high-resolution data and improved modeling methods. This is the first Reefs at Risk study that evaluates climate-related threats and the social vulnerability of coastal communities to reef degradation. WRI is leading the project in collaboration with over 25 partner organizations. For those who are new to the list, we are sending out these updates to share our progress on the Reefs at Risk Revisited project with our partners and interested parties. This seventh progress report will take you through the past few months of the project and our upcoming plans.
Accomplishments
Here is a brief summary of our main accomplishments from the past few months (September – December 2010):
- We revised the first complete draft of the Reefs at Risk Revisited publication based on feedback from internal reviewers at WRI. The report includes an analysis of current “local” threats to coral reefs; future global threats (ocean warming and acidification) to 2050; vulnerability of coastal communities to reef degradation; and a series of “reef stories” which provide examples of particular threats, as well as stories of effective management, recovery, and resilience.
- We circulated a second draft of the publication, as well as accompanying maps and graphics, to external coral reef and climate science experts around the world for review.
- We revised the draft report based on feedback received during external review and are currently in the final stages of editing before layout and publication.
- We collected high-resolution photos of coral reefs and threats to coral reefs for the report to accompany text in the publication. We still need sets of photos (two or more) that show change in coral condition over time. We are interested in photo sets that show a trend toward degradation, as well as sets that reflect recovery and resilience. If you have high resolution photos to share, please contact Lauretta Burke ([email protected]).
- We continued working with partners on a communication, distribution and influence strategy for the Reefs at Risk Revisited results, including identifying audiences and opportunities for targeted outreach.
- We began developing a short video that provides an overview of threats to coral reefs, Reefs at Risk Revisited analysis results, and the need to reduce local pressures to promote resilience. We plan to have the video ready in time for the February launch.
Next steps
We are currently working on the following objectives for the next few months (January – March 2010):
- We will finalize the publication, complete the report layout, and publish Reefs at Risk Revisited.
- We will continue developing the Reefs at Risk Revisited website and accompanying web-based materials (including layers for Google Earth and ReefBase online GIS).
- We will compile the modeling results, maps, and associated data used in the analysis of threats to coral reefs onto a data CD that will be released with the Reefs at Risk Revisited publication.
- We will finalize the Reefs at Risk Revisited overview video.
- We will launch the report on February 23, 2011 at events in Washington, DC and London, with subsequent regional launches coordinated by partner organizations in the major coral reef regions.
- We will plan and coordinate additional outreach activities at conferences and events with our partner organizations.
Please let Katie Reytar ([email protected]) or Lauretta Burke ([email protected]) know if you have any comments or questions about the project.