Ninety percent of all the coral reefs in our oceans are set to disappear by 2050 – that is the shocking figure that has led to the launch of a new global initiative to try to save coral reefs.

The 50 Reefs campaign brings ocean, climate and marine scientists and conservationists together to tackle the damage being caused to coral reefs by climate change, pollution and poor fishing practices.

The initiative aims to identify 50 of the “most critical” reefs that have the best chance of surviving climate change and could aid in the revitalization of other reef ecosystems once global temperatures have stabilized.

“It’s based on the best science. It’s saying we will only have 10 percent left, but let’s make sure those 10 percent have the best chance of survival,” said the initiative’s head scientist, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg.

Biodiversity in peril

Over the past few years, scientists have reported record bleaching of some of the world’s largest coral reefs. Last year, the largest die-off ever recorded of the Great Barrier Reef took place with 67 percent of shallow-water corals lost over a period of eight to nine months.