Oil spills like the one which took place in Mauritius on July 25th have a devastating impact on coral reefs which are fundamental to marine ecosystems.

As a matter of fact, corals support a quarter of all marine life, provide at least half a billion people with food security and livelihoods; protect coastlines from damage by buffering shorelines against waves, storms and floods. Estimates indicate coral reefs account for $2.7 trillion per year in ecosystem service value.

Almost half of coral reefs globally have already been lost. It is time for countries to join hands to address the global coral reef crisis.