• Corporate philanthropy

Coral reefs at risk: an unprecedented study explained by Youtubers Dr. Nozman and Sally Le Page

Published On 10.10.2017

For the launch of REEF SERVICES, an unprecedented study on the world’s coral reefs, the BNP Paribas Foundation has invited YouTubers Dr Nozman and Sally Le Page and the String Theory channel to make a series of videos on the threats faced by this unique ecosystem.

The coral reefs, an ecosystem at risk

While coral reefs are home to the world’s greatest marine biodiversity, they are now threatened by climate change and human activity. The fishing and the tourism industries, coastal protection…Today, more than 500 million people rely on the services that they provide.

In 2016, 93% of the Great Barrier Reef suffered from bleaching and approximately 80% of the coral in Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga was already dead. In 2017, the same Pacific reefs are bleaching again: it is the first time in history that two worldwide events of this kind have occurred in two consecutive years.

©Thiault

An initiative to raise the alert on the future of this ecosystem

Due to the lack of information and the complexity of this phenomenon, the impact of bleaching on the functioning of the ecosystem remains unknown. 

 For the first time, a large-scale international study, “REEF SERVICES” will be carried out by a team of researchers based in France (Université de Montpellier, IRD, Ecole des Hautes Etudes in Perpignan, CNRS, Université de Perpignan), the United Kingdom (University of Lancaster – Lancaster Environment Centre), the United States (SymbioSeas in Wilmington, Smithsonian Institution in Washington) and Australia (James Cook University – ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in Townsville), conducted by Valeriano Parravicini from l’École Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE) at CRIOBE with the support of the BNP Paribas Foundation

Launched early October in Moorea for a period of three years, the purpose of the « REEF SERVICES » study is to measure and predict the consequences of global warming on the coral reefs and the services they provide

Raising awareness on climate change among as many people as possible.

The exceptional participation of two committed Youtubers

For the launch of REEF SERVICES, the BNP Paribas Foundation has invited two popular Youtubers, Dr. Nozman (France’s leading scientific Youtuber) and Sally Le Page (a British biologist and Youtube humorist), as well as the String Theory channel, to make videos on this environmental issue. Raising awareness on climate change among as many people as possible, that is challenge that they are willing to take. 

From the 6th to the 13th October, they have been invited to join the study’s scientists in Tahiti and Moorea to give day-by-day coverage as the project is set up and research begins. Follow their official accounts for a daily sneak preview! 

My own mini version of Blue Planet 2! When I got an email asking if I could be paid to fly out to French Polynesia, go SCUBA diving on the reefs and make a video about the coral research happening there, strangely enough, I said yes! A huge thank you to BNP Paribas Foundation for funding this video and for flying me out, giving me access to your researchers and letting me make whatever video I want about it.Subtitles are available for the whole video in English, and feel free to submit subtitles in other languages if you have the time.

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