The Great Barrier Reef has experienced its worst summer on record for coral bleaching, with over half of individual reefs showing high or very high levels of bleaching after aerial surveys. This is part of a rare global mass coral bleaching event, announced last month by NOAA, affecting at least 53 countries, the fourth since the late 1990s. Scientists attribute the damage to anthropogenic heating, exacerbated by marine heatwaves and rising ocean temperatures. Marine biologists and organizations like UNESCO are urging immediate action to mitigate the impact and protect coral reefs. Criticism has been directed at the Australian government for increasing fossil fuel production while funding reef research. A CNN report highlighted the severity of the situation, describing it as ‘Like wildfires underwater’.
Marine #heatwaves since October last year leading to widespread bleaching of corals in #Lakshadweep Sea (@jayashreenandi reports) https://t.co/cdnBUvJjU2
Last year, ocean temperatures remained abnormally high—and have continued to climb in 2024. “It’s like the whole climate just fast-forwarded by 50 or 100 years. That’s how strange this looks,” a researcher said. https://t.co/OsZs6i6Fe5
With rising ocean temperatures causing widespread coral bleaching, urgent action is needed to safeguard these vital ecosystems. Learn more about UNESCO’s work to protect reefs. https://t.co/ugPGBxUK5o 📷 @AlexisRosenfeld https://t.co/HTB9MPwDiC
A good summary of the current mass-mortality of corals caused by anthropogenic heating, with sobering footage: https://t.co/cyvz3W6McP
Scientists from three research stations on the Great Barrier Reef have shared sobering accounts of the damage inflicted by anthropogenic heating. https://t.co/dxsSLmXFNL
CNN report on coral bleaching at Lady Elliot Island: “The Australian government has faced criticism for pouring 100s of millions of dollars into myriad reef research projects, while simultaneously doubling down on the production of the fossil fuels which drive climate change” https://t.co/QT2e6UK7Me https://t.co/FqJlO2qbYo
‘Like wildfires underwater’: Worst summer on record for Great Barrier Reef as coral die-off sweeps planet https://t.co/MU1dk5nke3
The Great Barrier Reef just experienced its worst summer on record, and NOAA announced last month that the world is undergoing a rare global mass coral bleaching event — the fourth since the late 1990s — impacting at least 53 countries. https://t.co/kj6KDE4gbr
"The steps we take now will determine whether or not we have coral reefs in the future." Marine biologists are calling on the government to take action, as the Great Barrier Reef experiences one of the worst bleaching events on record. #9News MORE: https://t.co/UTiZvvbuH0 https://t.co/DFqQ243nEX
After conducting aerial surveys of individual reefs in the Great Barrier Reef, more than half were rated as having high or very high levels of bleaching, alarming experts. 🪸 Read more from @adamlmorton for @guardianeco ⬇️ https://t.co/217FKlO14U