The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) is an environmental
non-profit
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
,
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...
based in
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
that is dedicated to
coral reef conservation. CORAL operates at the local, regional, and global levels to reduce threats to reefs and ensure that reefs can adapt to
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
.
History
The organization was founded in 1994 by Stephen Colwell.
Programs
CORAL's work includes educating local communities and building alliances with governments, agencies, research institutions, and other NGOs to protect coral reefs. Locally, CORAL's priorities are to maintain clean water, healthy fisheries, and protected habitat.
On a regional level, CORAL focuses on reef regions in
Hawai'i
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...
(
Hawai‘i Island and
Maui),
Honduras and
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
Globally, CORAL researches conservation strategies and informs scientists and policy makers. Additionally, CORAL is currently developing a
coral bleaching
Coral bleaching is the process when corals become white due to various stressors, such as changes in temperature, light, or nutrients. Bleaching occurs when coral polyps expel the zooxanthellae ( dinoflagellates that are commonly referred to as a ...
response network using high-resolution satellite images to monitor coral reefs and bleaching events.
Organization
CORAL is a
nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
They are funded by individual donors, foundations, and corporate and government grants.
In 2021, CORAL raised more than $4 million in total revenue, from individual and corporate contributions ($1.3 million) as well as foundation and government grants ($2.7 million).
See also
*
Coral bleaching
Coral bleaching is the process when corals become white due to various stressors, such as changes in temperature, light, or nutrients. Bleaching occurs when coral polyps expel the zooxanthellae ( dinoflagellates that are commonly referred to as a ...
*
Coral reef protection
Coral reef protection is the process of modifying human activities to avoid damage to healthy coral reefs and to help damaged reefs recover. The key strategies used in reef protection include defining measurable goals and introducing active manag ...
References
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International environmental organizations
Diving organizations