As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary in 2025, Guatemalan journalist Jorge Rodriguez has joined a global call to protect coastal ecosystems he describes as humanity's 'barriers of life.' Through CGTN's 'One Home: Shared Future' campaign, Rodriguez shares insights from two decades documenting Latin America's vanishing mangrove forests and coral reefs – critical habitats sustaining both marine life and traditional fishing communities.
Rodriguez warns that rising sea levels, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices are creating a 'triple threat' to these natural defenses. His fieldwork reveals how coastal degradation disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations who rely on marine resources for food and livelihoods. 'When we lose a mangrove forest, we don't just lose trees – we erase entire chapters of ecological and cultural history,' he told KhabarAsia.
The campaign coincides with growing international attention on ocean conservation ahead of the UN anniversary, positioning coastal protection as both an environmental imperative and economic necessity for coastal nations.
