One of the world's leading producers of online word games joined a global effort to help protect the planet's coral reefs, which a new report finds are disappearing at an alarming rate.
Players are encouraged to either add their name to the petition for greater ocean and climate action and/or donate to projects associated with the
The initiative has seen developers, including the popular Rovio Angry Birds, integrate environmental messages into their games to support the global environmental agenda, ranging from planting millions of trees to reducing plastic in their products.
Gaming companies are also supporting the Playing4Forests pledge, asking world leaders to protect forests as a line of defence against climate change.
"We couldn't be more excited to join hands with
"Many people have no idea of the value of coral reefs to the well being of species and humans alike. Gaming can be transformational in inspiring this learning and action journey," she added.
While they may look like plants or hard rocks, most corals are made up of thousands of small, soft-bodied animals, called polyps, surrounded by stony exoskeletons. Coral reefs support a quarter of all marine life. They also provide at least half a billion people with jobs and food while protecting coastlines from storms and flooding.
Coral reefs are also extremely sensitive to climate change. Corals have shown the most rapid increase in extinction risk of all the species assessed by the Global Biodiversity Outlook.
When waters get too warm, corals release the symbiotic algae turning white, a process known as bleaching. While corals can recover from bleaching if conditions improve, prolonged coral bleaching can be fatal.
The Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2020, released last week by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network in partnership with UNEP, found that 14 per cent of the world's coral has been lost since 2009, and climate change is threatening what remains of these fragile ecosystems, often call the "rainforests of the sea."
In the last 12 years, around 11,700 square kilometres of coral has disappeared. That is more than all the living coral in
But there is still hope for corals. Across the globe, scientists are identifying pockets of coral habitats that have greater resilience to climate change and may provide the key to their survival. The research shows that incorporating coral safe havens, known as climate refugia, into conservation plans is vital for ensuring their future survival as we work to halt and reverse current threats.
"Our goal is to create engaging content for our players while spreading an important message, that they have the power to help preserve marine ecosystems," said
We couldn't be more excited to join hands with
The creative campaign works to curb the threats to coral reefs, which along with climate change are under siege from overfishing, coastal development, pollution and ocean acidification.
The debut of the ocean-themed games preceded the recent announcement of
The
The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for
Copyright United Nations Environment Program. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source