Saving The Great Barrier Reef
Australia's Great Barrier Reef is bleaching at an increasingly alarming rate. Is it too late to save it?
Australia's Great Barrier Reef is under greater threat from global warming than ever before. Huge swathes of corals are facing extinction from 'bleaching' every year, putting entire ecosystems at risk.
"It’s exactly like me seeing my family slowly dying... it’s very gravelike." Coral specialist Charlie predicted that by 2015 levels of CO2 would result in bleaching every year. Unfortunately, the first back-to-back bleaching event was recorded in 2015-16. Worryingly, "it takes about 10 years for the fastest growing corals to regrow", states marine biologist Terry. The reef's steady decline threatens not only an incredible array of aquatic life, but tourism and employment: the GBR provides 64,000 jobs across Australia and creates 6.5 billion dollars for the economy annually. For Global Change Institute director Ove, the GBR is "not dead. But if we don’t take really firm action, it will be".
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