One tiny Pacific nation has begun the new year with a ban on sunscreens that contain chemicals which affect the health of coral reefs and fish. "Environment is the nest of life," Palau's president said.
Image: picture-alliance/M. Runkel
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The Pacific nation of Palau officially enacted a ban on "reef-toxic" sunscreens to protect its coral reefs and UNESCO World Heritage site, local media reported Wednesday.
The new law banned the sale and use of sunscreens containing any of 10 ingredients, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are known environmental pollutants, according to the International Coral Reef Foundation.
"We have to live and respect the environment because the environment is the nest of life, and without it nobody in Palau can survive," President Tommy Remengesau, who originally signed off the law in 2018, told AFP news agency.
The tiny island nation lies in the west of the Pacific and has a population of around 17,000, but enjoys a vibrant tourist industry largely based around the famous coral reefs and diving. Remengesau said there was scientific evidence that the chemicals found in most sunscreens were toxic to coral reefs.
A new marine sanctuary also came into effect on Wednesday, closing 80% of the ocean surrounding the island to fishing, 500,000 square kilometers (190,000 square miles) in all.
Palau made headlines in 2017 for having tourists sign an "eco-pledge" before visiting, stating "I vow to tread lightly, act kindly and explore mindfully."
Time running out to save the world's coral reefs
What happens when coral gets stressed? Global warming and environmental changes can cause corals to lose their color, and hinder their ability to feed and reproduce. Scientists and policy makers are sounding alarm bells.
Image: imago/OceanPhoto
Trouble in paradise
Some 2,500 scientists, policymakers and managers came together in Honolulu in June 2016 for the world's largest summit dedicated to the future of coral reefs. With coral reefs threatened by global warming, participants at the 13th International Coral Reef Symposium are calling for a joint rescue effort.
Image: picture alliance/WILDLIFE
World is watching
The event gathered guests from 97 countries, including the presidents of Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. Coral reefs are a key source of income in those countries, mostly through tourism.
Image: picture alliance/WILDLIFE
Too warm for comfort
The Pacific nations are worried about the future of their tourist hotspots, as coral reefs face so-called "bleaching" due to rising sea temperatures. "If our coral reefs are further degraded, then our reef-dependent communities will suffer and be displaced," leaders of Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands said in an open letter.
Image: imago/OceanPhoto
Corals in crisis
Bleaching happens when coral is stressed by hot ocean waters or other changes in the environment. In response, corals may release tiny symbiotic algae which drains them of color. More importantly, bleaching affects their ability to feed and reproduce.
Image: Imago
Pale as death
Severe or prolonged bleaching might kill off corals entirely. Scientists have detected bleached coral in the past two years in oceans around the world. They expect the process to continue thought 2016.
Image: imago/blickwinkel
Giant from Down Under
The 2,300-kilometer-long (1,429-mile-long) Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system and its largest living structure. It is also among Australia's main tourist attractions, generating around $3.9 billion (3.5 billion euros) annually.
Image: Imago/ZUMA Press
Tough times for the Great Barrier Reef
Almost one-half of the coral in the reef's northern third have died in the past three months [in 2016], according to James Cook University professor Terry Hughes. The most affected area is remote and unpolluted, with very little fishing and no coastal development. "That's an absolute catastrophe," Hughes said. "There's nowhere to hide from climate change."
Image: Dorothea Bender-Champ for ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
Fighting for hope
Despite the bad news, scientists claim the problems can be managed with proper funding and political backing. "We are not ready to write the obituary for coral reefs," Professor Hughes said. The scientific community at the conference pledged to work with leaders across the world in order to "curb the continued loss of coral reefs."
Image: imago/OceanPhoto
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What are 'toxic sunscreen ingredients?'
"Toxic sunscreen chemicals have been found throughout Palau's critical habitats, and in the tissues of our most famous creatures," Remensgesau said.
Many of the banned chemicals are endocrine disruptors, meaning that they have a negative impact on the juvenile development of most coral and many fish and algae species.
"When science tells us that a practice is damaging to coral reefs, to fish populations, or to the ocean itself, our people take note and our visitors do too," Remengesau added.
The US state of Hawaii will be the next territory to ban these chemicals, with Remensgesau saying he hoped Palau would be the "first of many." Hawaii's ban comes into effect in 2021. The US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean have also announced a ban.
Many sunscreen manufacturers were quick to identify their products as "reef-safe" as the toxic effects of traditional sunscreens became more widely known. Non-toxic sunscreens are now widely available.
