great barrier reef
Newsletter
Barrier Reef experiences unprecedented ocean warming
The Great Barrier Reef experienced its hottest ocean temperatures in 400 years over the past decade, threatening its survival.
In short:
- Between 2016 and 2024, the Great Barrier Reef experienced mass coral bleaching due to record-high ocean temperatures, endangering its future.
- Researchers used coral skeleton samples to study sea surface temperature changes since 1618 and linked recent warming to human-caused climate change.
- Even if global warming is kept below the 1.5°C threshold of the Paris Agreement, 70% to 90% of global corals could be at risk, leading to reduced diversity.
Key quote:
“The reef is in danger and if we don’t divert from our current course, our generation will likely witness the demise of one of those great natural wonders.”
— Benjamin Henley, lecturer of sustainable urban management at the University of Melbourne
Why this matters:
The Great Barrier Reef is vital for biodiversity, seafood production and tourism. Its decline signals broader environmental impacts of climate change that threaten marine ecosystems worldwide.
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Reef faces unprecedented bleaching depth and damage
Marine biologist reports the worst Great Barrier Reef bleaching seen in decades.
In short:
- More than half of the surveyed reefs show high or severe levels of bleaching.
- Dr. Selina Ward notes unusual temperature uniformity down to 20 meters, intensifying coral stress.
- Calls for immediate greenhouse gas reductions underscore the urgency of the situation.
Key quote:
“We cannot expect to save the Great Barrier Reef and be opening new fossil fuel developments. It’s time to act and there are no more excuses.”
— Dr Selina Ward, marine biologist
Why this matters:
Corals, crucial building blocks of the Great Barrier Reef, rely on a symbiotic relationship with algae for nutrients and vibrant color. However, when stressed by warmer waters, corals expel these algae, leaving them pale and vulnerable. Bleaching events have become more frequent and severe in recent years, devastating large swaths of the reef.
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Newsletter
With record ocean temps, is the Great Barrier Reef facing catastrophe?
Like the catastrophic Great Barrier Reef bleaching event of 2016, if the current conditions line up just right, “we could lose a huge part of the reef by February,” says guest Dean Miller of the Forever Reef Project, which is now racing to add the final coral specimens to its “biobank.”
Trying to save coral reefs? Think like a hedge fund manager
Trying to protect or restore an ecosystem has something in common with playing the stock market or the roulette wheel. Unexpected surprises are part of the equation.
Great Barrier Reef coral 'insurance policy' secures the future of hundreds of species
An insurance policy for the world's coral will protect hundreds of species from extinction in a special laboratory established to back up the crown jewels of the sea.
Plastic action or distraction? As climate change bears down, calls to reduce plastic pollution are not wasted
Promoting small actions, such as reducing plastic use, can be a useful entry point for other actions around climate change. It’s an example of ‘positive spillover behaviour’.
Newsletter
Decline of more than 500 species of marine life in Australian reefs ‘the tip of the iceberg’, study finds
More than 500 common species of fish, seaweed, coral and invertebrates that live on reefs around Australia have declined in the past decade, a study has found, as experts warn “not all is well in the ocean”.
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