18.06.2019

BNP Paribas helps protect our planet’s ecosystems

Marine ecosystems are now among the most endangered on our planet. Pollution, overfishing, the introduction of invasive aquatic species and the destruction of coastal habitats bear the main responsibility for this, resulting directly from human activities. World Oceans Day, held this year on 8 June, aims to raise awareness of the crucial role that oceans play in our daily lives, as well as the various existing solutions for protecting them.

The World Ocean is the largest existing ecosystem on our planet. Covering over 71% of the Earth’s surface, it’s a source of livelihood for over 3 billion people. The ocean also works as the main “lung” of our planet, releasing more oxygen into the atmosphere, notably through marine plants, than all the forests in the world, and absorbing 30% of the carbon dioxide produced by humans.

The BNP Paribas Foundation contributes to the preservation of marine ecosystems.

Aware of these key issues, for many years the BNP Paribas Foundation has chosen to commit to the preservation of marine ecosystems.

Thanks to its Climate & Biodiversity Initiative, 5 of the 18 research projects supported since 2010 have led to a better understanding of the complex mechanisms of acidification and uptake of atmospheric carbon in the ocean, as well as the impacts on wildlife and marine flora (ajouter lien vers une vidéo d’un des projets).

Moreover, on the basis of the fact that coral reefs, which are essential to the equilibrium of marine ecosystems, are facing unprecedented threats, the BNP Paribas Foundation has decided to become more involved in their preservation. In 2018, as part of the International Year of Coral Reefs, the BNP Paribas Foundation and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) developed the Corals Matter initiative in collaboration with various partners, consisting of an awareness toolkit, along with a website and interactive panel, explaining the challenges facing coral reefs and marine biodiversity today.

Part of the BNP Paribas partnership in this matter is cooperation with the Coral Guardian.

Coral Guardian is a French official non-profit organisation recognised as being of public interest. Coral Guardian works for the restoration and protection of marine biodiversity. The association’s missions are particularly focused on preserving coral ecosystems through the involvement of the coastal communities that depend on them. The association carries out concrete actions for enhancing biodiversity thanks to its model of participative, sustainable and replicable marine conservation. Coral Guardian also has missions of raising awareness and scientific research.