Coral Reefs and Debt-for-Nature Swaps

[Erika Haendel]

To all interested parties: 
  Hi, my name is Erika Haendel and I am currently writing a senior thesis  
at Columbia University under the supervision of Professor David Downie.   
This thesis explores the possibility of using debt-for-nature swaps to  
save endangered coral reefs throughout the world.  
  Part of my thesis will involve making recommendations for future  
debt-for-nature swaps involving coral reefs.  In order to do this, I need  
to find current information concerning coral reefs throughout the world  
(preferably in developing nations) which are severely threatened by human  
activities (i.e. muro-ami or explosive fishing techniques, increasing  
coastal development, sewage discharge into reef ecosystems etc...).  Some  
areas where I would be interested in include the Philippines, Tanzania,  
Honduras (or other Central American countries), Belze, Kenya, Jordan,  
Egypt, Thailand and the Caribbean.  If anybody has any current  
information on the state of the reefs in these or any other developing  
nations, or if you know of a place or a book where I might be able to obtain  
this type of information, your assistance would be greatly appreciated. 

  Thank You in advance, 
  Erika S. Haendel 
  esh8 at columbia.edu