Coral reefs are a vital part of the world’s marine life but are facing significant threats as a result of human interference, if action is not taken immediately, we will see the remainder of coral reefs die within the next 30 years.
I decided to create my infographic in a simple layout that would allow the reader to digest the information quickly, whilst still getting a sense of the urgency of the problem at hand. The first data point I chose was that reefs protect the homes of over 200 million people from storm surges. I thought this was very relevant as it shows the audience that coral reefs play a vital role in the day to day lives of millions of people across the world, and without them they more than likely would lose their homes.
Image: AZO Cleantech
Next I chose the statistic that reefs provide over $35 billion in tourism globally every year. Attracting tourists allows for “diving tours, fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses based near reef systems provide millions of jobs and contribute billions of dollars all over the world” (UNESCO). The final data point I chose to put at the top of my infographic was that it provides homes to 25% of marine life. I decided to visualise this data point through the icons of four fish, one remaining in colour to symbolise that 1 in 4 marine animals live in these reefs. This allows for the audience to understand what the point is saying without reading the text.
I chose to give the next two pieces of data a separate row each as I felt as though they were significant and would get the reader to feel a sense of urgency leading to a call to action. The data point that the world has lost about half its coral reefs in the last 30 years shows the reader that this has been a significant ongoing problem. I chose to visualise this through a reef that was half in colour, and half grey to symbolise that it had died, allowing the viewer to see a representation of the significance of the problem. I then built on this with the statistic that within the next 30 years if no action is taken all reefs will disappear, to emphasise the time sensitivity of the issue.
Finally, I chose to incorporate three data points about small things individuals can do, as a call to action. I visualised these through images of what should not be done, with a cross expressing that they will result in further damage, and what should be done, with a tick to show they will improve reef health.
Overall this is a significant issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Through the layout of my infographic I hope to emphasise this as well as express what can be done to help in saving coral reefs.
Image: Fitzroy Island
Infographic Sources:
What You Can Do to Help Protect Coral Reefs – United States Environmental Protection Agency 2018
Coral Reefs – Ocean Health Index 2020
Mapping Ocean Wealth – Mapping Ocean Ecosystem Services 2020
Living Planet Wildlife Report – WWF 2018
Images – FreePik
Featured Image: Bio Plastics News
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