Answer: Coral reefs are highly sensitive to environmental changes, and as the global climate continues to warm, coral reefs are increasingly under threat. As global warming causes the ocean to warm, coral bleaching becomes more frequent.   

Examples:  

1. Great Barrier Reef in Australia, which has suffered from mass coral bleaching and is at risk of being irreversibly damaged.  

1. In the Caribbean, coral reefs are being affected by warming ocean temperatures, with an estimated 90 percent of coral reefs in the region being lost. 

Coral reefs are critical to ocean’s ecosystem: 

• Importance to Marine Life: Coral reefs provide a habitat for a diverse range of marine species, from fish to turtles and sharks, which rely on the reef for food, shelter, and breeding grounds. 
• Source of Income: Many people depend on fishing and tourism related to coral reefs for their livelihood, making the preservation of these ecosystems important for both economic and social reasons. 
• Natural Barrier: Coral reefs act as a natural barrier, reducing the impact of storms and erosion on coastal areas, which helps protect communities and infrastructure. 
• Water Filtration: Coral reefs filter and clean the water, helping to maintain healthy ocean ecosystems by removing pollutants and improving water quality. 
• Biodiversity: Coral reefs are home to millions of species of animals and plants, making them one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet and important for scientific research and discovery. 

Changing climate is impacting coral reefs across the world: 

• Coral Bleaching: Increasing Ocean temperatures due to climate change are causing coral bleaching, a process in which the coral turns completely white and can no longer sustain its symbiotic algae, resulting in coral death. 
• Disrupt symbiotic relationship: Increased Ocean temperatures and acidification also disrupt the symbiotic relationship between coral and the algae that provides the coral with food and oxygen. 
• Coral death: Rising sea levels due to climate change are inundating coral reefs with saltwater, leading to coral death.  
• Physical impact: Coral bleaching has been linked to increased intensity and frequency of storms and hurricanes, which can devastate reefs.  
• Increase in invasive species: As ocean temperatures increase, coral reefs become more vulnerable to invasive species, which can outcompete native species and disrupt the delicate balance of the reef ecosystem.  

Way forward: 

• Increase awareness and education: Educating the public about the impacts of climate change on coral reefs can help people better understand the urgency of acting.  
• Reduce emissions: Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and encouraging the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, as well as improving energy efficiency.  
• Implement sustainable fishing practices: By implementing sustainable fishing practices, such as no-take zones, catch limits and gear restrictions, overexploitation of fisheries can be reduced, and coral reefs can be better protected.  
• Restore and protect coastal habitats: Restoring and protecting coastal habitats, such as mangrove forests and seagrass beds, can help reduce the impacts of climate change on coral reefs. These habitats can act as buffers to reduce the impacts of storms, as well as improve water quality.  
• Develop adaptive management strategies: Developing adaptive management strategies can help coral reefs better cope with the impacts of climate change. These strategies can include restoring reefs, developing climate-resistant coral species and monitoring reef health. 

The impact of climate change is seen over the coral ecosystem across the world. Hence, it is important to protect the coral reefs which can help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.