Follow us on
Gallery: Tourism in Egypt threatens Red Sea corals
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that about 20 per cent of the world’s coral reefs have been destroyed and a further 60 per cent are under threat — from climate change, overfishing and tourism.
Egypt’s tourism sector took a major hit from a series of security shocks, including the downing of a passenger jet packed full of Russian tourists in 2015, before rebounding from 2017.
The rebound in tourism could put further pressure on Egypt’s corals, according to local experts.
Red Sea province recently banned single use plastics, but an Egyptian academic says more needs to be done to preserve marine heritage.
Scientists consider the Red Sea’s reefs the most climate change-resilient corals but say they are still under threat.
With up to 12 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans every year, the UNEP believes marine plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
