Resilience

he event will invite coral conservation institutes and coral researchers in support of the implementation of Kunming Montréal Biodiversity Framework and the Coral Reef Breakthrough Goals and Action Point. The session will showcase the developments and illustrate leading practices around several elements of how jurisdictions are safeguarding coral reef ecosystem.

Listening session, with potential mini panel focusing on partnerships for the health of reefs and people.

The event will emphasize the importance of protecting coral reefs to safeguard ecosystems and the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Without urgent action, 50-70% of coral reefs could be lost by mid-century, threatening global biodiversity, food security, and coastal protection. This is a critical moment to catalyze action from the 100 coral reef nations.

Cuba’s waters are home to four of the world’s most climate-resilient reefs and provide ideal conditions to explore conservation strategies that can offer hope worldwide. This event will showcase current efforts to study and protect Cuba’s coral reefs and examine the importance of this work to global coral reef conservation.

Coral reefs play a vital role in Caribbean climate adaptation by mitigating storm surge impacts, reducing wave energy by an average of 97%, and enhancing community resilience against severe climate events. However, unprecedented sea temperatures in 2023-2024 have led to devastating coral bleaching, particularly affecting Acropora spp., with mortality rates nearing 100% in some areas. This situation underscores the urgent need for identifying and propagating thermally resilient coral genotypes for restoration efforts.