According to the scientist carrying out aerial surveys over hundreds of individual reefs Australia’s iconic UNESCO World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef has experienced another mass coral bleaching, the third such event in five years.
The news of the mass bleaching was announced by Professor Terry Hughes who is currently conducting aerial surveys over hundreds of individual reefs.
With three days of a nine-day survey to go, Professor Hughes told Guardian Australia: “We know this is a mass bleaching event and it’s a severe one.”
It follows the worst outbreaks of mass bleaching on record killing about half the shallow water corals on the world’s biggest reef system in 2016 and 2017.
Professor Hughes, director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University and one of the world’s leading authorities on bleaching and the Great Barrier Reef, said: “We know enough now that the bleaching is more severe than in 1998 and 2002. How it sits with 2016 and 2017 we are not sure yet.”
Working with a staff member from government agency the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), Professor Hughes has assessed bleaching levels on 682 reefs from a spotter plane flying at about 150 metres above the water.
“I am devastated to hear this news. It follows mass bleaching events in 2016 and 2017, and of course it comes after a summer of terrible bushfires across Australia.
“It shows that climate change is all around us and our response needs to be escalated dramatically,” said the Climate Council’s CEO Amanda McKenzie.
Dr Dean Miller from Great Barrier Reef Legacy has recently returned from assessing the bleaching around Lizard Island north of Cooktown.
“This has been a very hot summer. The water temperature has been up to two degrees above normal which is stressing corals.
“I saw coral bleaching both at the surface and as deep as 16 metres.
“The real question is how long can corals, and the ecosystem, hang on before we reach the point of no return?” said Dr Miller.
“While the bleaching is extensive, fortunately tourism hot spots around Cairns and Port Douglas have been spared this year. But protecting tourism for the long term means we have to tackle climate change now,” said Dr Miller.
“Just as we have heatwaves on land that are supercharging bushfires, climate change is also driving heatwaves under water.
“These are causing the corals along our iconic reef to bleach,” said Climate Councillor Professor Lesley Hughes.
“It is not too late to protect the reef but we must take radical action now.
“That means rapidly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by moving away from coal, oil and gas,” said Professor Hughes.
“Australia’s immediate attention needs to be on the coronavirus, but even during this terrible time we must not forget the threat of climate change. The longer we delay meaningful climate action, the more devastating the consequences will be,” said Ms McKenzie.
“The Australian government is now developing stimulus packages to try to help our economy through the coronavirus.
“This is exactly the right time to be spending on clean energy projects that can employ Australians and protect our reef,” said Ms McKenzie.
Global heating caused by escalating atmospheric greenhouse gases is a major threat to the world’s coral reef ecosystems.
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found the published evidence suggested a majority of tropical coral reefs would disappear even if heating was limited to 1.5°C and would be “at very high risk” at 1.2°C.
The globe has warmed about 1.0°C since the industrial revolution.
EcoNews is an independent publication that relies on contributions from its readers.
WE’RE BUILDING A PLATFORM WITH A CLEAR FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL GOOD. CONTRIBUTE AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT.
If you value EcoNews, but are unable to contribute via sponsorship or advertising we ask that you promote our online store The Native Shop – www.nativeshop.com.au via your social media to assist us to fund this valuable service.
