International Coral Reef Initiative

About International Coral Reef Initiative: 

• It was launched in 1994 by Australia, France, Japan, Jamaica, the Philippines, Sweden, Britain and the United States.
• Its members now include 45 countries that represent three quarters of the world’s coral reefs.
• India is also a member country of this initiative.
• It is a global partnership between Nations and organizations which strives to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems around the world.
• Its decisions are not binding on its members.
• The work of ICRI is regularly acknowledged in United Nations documents, highlighting the Initiative’s important cooperation, collaboration and advocacy role within the international arena.
• Objectives
  • Encourage the adoption of best practice in sustainable management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems.
  • Build capacity
  • Raise awareness at all levels on the plight of coral reefs around the world.

What are corals?

• Corals are marine invertebrates or animals which do not possess a spine. They are the largest living structures on the planet.
• Each coral is called a polyp and thousands of such polyps live together to form a colony, which grows when polyps multiply to make copies of themselves.
• They live in a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae called zooxanthellae (which live within the coral tissue).
• The zooxanthellae convert sunlight into food, providing corals with up to 90 per cent of their energy needs. 

Q1) What is the United Nations?

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded on October 24, 1945, following the end of World War II. It was established with the primary goal of promoting peace, cooperation, and diplomacy among nations and preventing conflicts that could lead to war.

Source: Countries pledge to raise $12 billion to fund coral reef protection in hopes to save them from dying