International coral restoration projects in the face of climate change in peninsular regions
Keywords:
artificial restoration, climate change, projects, reefs, SDGsAbstract
Climate change poses the main threat to coral reefs, particularly coral reef cover. Ninety percent of these living organisms, on which a quarter of marine biodiversity depends, are projected to become extinct. In response, international interventions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are emerging as initiatives aimed at addressing this reality. This paper aims to evaluate international projects for artificial coral reef restoration as a strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change in peninsular regions of the Pacific. To this end, a qualitative, descriptive, and non-experimental study was selected. The main findings reveal a consensus on the importance of restoration projects, whose benefits transcend the ecological threshold to contribute to the well-being of communities. However, the United Nations (UN) recognizes that insufficient progress has been made, which jeopardizes the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Artificial restoration offers the potential to prolong the life of marine ecosystems, but it cannot be considered a definitive solution. Finally, it is time for Ecuador to consider the best practices implemented in Australia, Japan, and Malaysia and adapt them to its needs.
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