Thoothukudi (India) (AFP) – On a shrinking island off India’s southern coast, workers thread bright green seagrass shoots onto wooden frames before they are planted on the ocean floor. The restoration work unfolding on Kariyachalli island aims to use artificial reefs, transplanted corals and seagrass meadows to boost its natural defences, slow erosion and protect the mainland from surging seas. “If you are not able to provide that resilience, you are absolutely at the mercy of vulnerabilities,” says senior state official Supriya Sahu.
