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[Lime]

Australian scientists said on Wednesday that just seven percent of the Great Barrier Reef, which attracts around A$5 billion ($3.90 billion) in tourism every year, has been untouched by mass bleaching that is likely to destroy half the coral.

Bleaching occurs when the water is too warm, forcing coral to expel living algae and causing it to calcify and turn white. Mildly bleached coral can recover if the temperature drops, otherwise it may die.

Although the impact has been exacerbated by one of the strongest El Nino weather systems in nearly 20 years, scientists believe climate change is the underlying cause.

"We've never seen anything like this scale of bleaching before. In the northern Great Barrier Reef, it's like 10 cyclones have come ashore all at once," said Professor Terry Hughes, conveyor of the National Coral Bleaching Taskforce, which conducted aerial surveys of the World Heritage site.

"Our estimate at the moment is that close to 50 percent of the coral is already dead or dying," Hughes told Reuters.

The Great Barrier Reef stretches 2,300 km (1,430 miles) along Australia's northeast coast and is the world's largest living ecosystem.

"There were some who said that the worst had passed. We rejected that, and they were wrong," Environment Minister Greg Hunt told reporters. "Let it be known that this is a significant event. We take it seriously."

U.S. President Barack Obama embarrassed Australia 18 months ago by warning of the risk of climate change to the reef during a G20 meeting.

UNESCO's World Heritage Committee last May stopped short of placing the Great Barrier Reef on an "in danger" list, but the ruling raised long-term concerns about its future.

Australia is one of the largest carbon emitters capita because of its reliance on coal-fired power plants for electricity.

Despite pledging to cut carbon emissions, Australia has continued to support fossil fuel projects, including Adani Enterprises Ltd's proposed A$10 billion ($7.7 billion) Carmichael coal project in the Galilee Basin in western Queensland.

"It’s not good enough for them to say they care about the reef while they keep backing the coal industry and avoid tackling climate change,” said Shani Tager, a Greenpeace campaigner.

The findings will likely place pressure on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ahead of an expected federal election on July 2.

Turnbull is an advocate of carbon trading and supports progressive climate policies, but has left some disappointed over a failure to strengthen his party's commitment to addressing climate change.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-environment-greatbarrierree-idUSKCN0XH0EO

 

[disco]

Very sad. 😞 What is the point in living in this stupid world?

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

Very sad. 😞 What is the point in living in this stupid world?

Don't worry. We won't be for too much longer.

 

[squall23]

When I was still going to school, I had one of those highly cynical, very "I'm much better than you" professors that told us: "Go see a coral reef. They'll be gone in about 10 years or so."

I don't know why that stuck with me. This was also 5 years ago.

 

[jambo]

2,300 km long.

I always wanted to see it one day, not sure if it will be worth it =\

https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/release...reat-barrier-reef-has-avoided-coral-bleaching

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Ain't Australia ran by some climate change deniers? Maybe they'll change their tune when an economic feature is threatened.

 

[pr0cs]

A perfect article with no proof whatsoever other than following the climate change hypeline

 

[Lime]

Very sad. 😞 What is the point in living in this stupid world?

Point is among other things to vote for parties who aren't climate change deniers and ruining our planet.

Ain't Australia ran by some climate change deniers? Maybe they'll change their tune when an economic feature is threatened.

It's been 40 years now and the tune still isn't changed. I wouldn't bet on it. A lot of these people wouldn't downprioritize immediate profits $$$$ unless the direct harmful effects were in front of their eyes.

 

[AnathemicOne]

Go humanity, it's a shame really. I've always had going to see the Great Barrier Reef on my bucket list ever since I was a kid.

 

[Dead Man]

Yay us! :/

Ain't Australia ran by some climate change deniers? Maybe they'll change their tune when an economic feature is threatened.

Yes, it is. And no, they won't. Utter wankers of the highest order.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

It's been 40 years now and the tune still isn't changed. I wouldn't bet on it. A lot of these people wouldn't downprioritize immediate profits $$$$ unless the direct harmful effects were in front of their eyes.

Yes, it is. And no, they won't. Utter wankers of the highest order.

That's a shame. Guess I should plan to make a trip to see the reef in the next couple years before the opportunity is lost. Or is tourism adding to the damages?

 

[The_White_Rose]

Wow that's awful. Hope Marlin, Nemo, and Dory will be okay.

 

[dabig2]

Don't worry. We won't be for too much longer.

That's the great thing about the earth. It will always endure (until the sun vaporizes it in a few billion years), and the creatures living on it will be recycled. Homo sapiens will join the rest of the 99% of species that have already seen extinction. Though we'll probably have the distinction from the rest in that we engineered our own demise and took most of the world with us.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

We're so fucked. But the economy is good, so who cares right?

 

[rexor0717]

Wow that's awful. Hope Marlin, Nemo, and Dory will be okay.

Hope we'll be ok is more like it. Don't want ecosystems to collapse, that'll lead to bad things.

 

[Tigress]

A perfect article with no proof whatsoever other than following the climate change hypeline

What proof are you looking for? Apparently scientists saying so isn't enough. Are you wanting them to name the scientists? Or do you want them to post all the data on the article itself. Or do you want pictures of the damage? Do you want credentials on the scientists maybe? Or to see their source funding?

 

[Sulik2]

The insanity of humanity destroying their own planet's ability to sustain life and not caring one bit about it is just infuriating. Capitalism is the most destructive force in the history of the world.

 

[Horsemama1956]

Yeah I know this is stupid but couldn't they like cut the bad parts off and transfer them to where the healthy parts are so it can repair?

 

[jph139]

The Great Barrier Reef is one of those "if we don't take action now, it'll soon be gone forever!" things from the 90s and such. Like the rainforests. Feels weird to have the "soon" become the "now."

 

[Sunster]

Yeah I know this is stupid but couldn't they like cut the bad parts off and transfer them to where the healthy parts are so it can repair?

Each coral is made up of individual polyps. When a healthy coral is moved to an area where the coral is dying at a faster rate, those polyps will die just as fast if not faster because they were moved.

 

[Pamplemousse]

A perfect article with no proof whatsoever other than following the climate change hypeline

Congressman Inhofe is that you?

 

[shortsFortallPeople]

A perfect article with no proof whatsoever other than following the climate change hypeline

 

[KonradLaw]

One step closure to the birth of exciting new industry of retrospective tourism.

 

[teruterubozu]

It's happening everywhere in the Pacific from Australia, to Samoa to Hawaii. It's also getting very bad in Florida.
Thing is, it's visible with the naked eye to divers and snorkels everywhere, this isn't some hypothetical measurement.

 

[Azerare]

That's a shame that a beauty of that caliber is receiving such neglect.

 

[Amalthea]

Welcome to the beach of the future:

(Note that the white rocks are actually human skulls)

 

[Baraka in the White House]

As a reef aquarium keeper, this hits me right in the feels.

Coral are fucking beautiful.

 

[ezrarh]

It won't exist as a great natural wonder in the next Civ game.

 

[astroturfing]

A perfect article with no proof whatsoever other than following the climate change hypeline

it's hopeless man, the science sheep will never see the truth.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

It's just mind blowing.

Climate change deniers are a force of evil.

 

[aeolist]

even if the rising temperatures don't kill them ocean acidification will. coral reefs have been doomed for a while now.

 

[teruterubozu]

Yeah I know this is stupid but couldn't they like cut the bad parts off and transfer them to where the healthy parts are so it can repair?

There are actually efforts to regrow coral and scientists have been trying to speed up the process, but the large coral reefs have been growing for hundreds of years. It should be noted that bleached coral is still alive and can recover, but they are in a highly vulnerable state and can die easily.

 

[klonere]

Is this going to make gas/food/consumer goods any more expensive?

If not don't care, carry on.

 

[Firemind]

Australian politicians in a few years:

 

[teruterubozu]

Is this going to make gas/food/consumer goods any more expensive?

If not don't care, carry on.

Seafood for sure. Fish thrive on coral reefs. Say bye to sushi.

 

[commedieu]

Is this going to make gas/food/consumer goods any more expensive?

If not don't care, carry on.

Lol.

GG humans.

 

[Bearjewpiter]

Yeah I know this is stupid but couldn't they like cut the bad parts off and transfer them to where the healthy parts are so it can repair?

The issue is that with many reefs and especially with the great barrier reef we're talking about a truly massive structure that's essentially alive. Corals are invertebrates but they're still alive and they've evolved to glue themselves to the rock so separating them from the rock would be really difficult, time consuming, expensive, etc.

 

[adj_noun]

Finding Nemo 3 to be Film noir.

 

[Tigress]

Is this going to make gas/food/consumer goods any more expensive?

If not don't care, carry on.

Lol.

GG humans.

Seriously. My fiance is telling me one of Musk's goals is to be able to ship us off this planet if we ruin it. My thoughts are if we ruin it we don't deserve to be shipped off this planet. Especially as we already proved we'll destroy one planet, that just means we'll spread our disaster to others. Yes, I'm against his plan because I honestly don't think we deserve it. Whatever happened to taking the consequences for our actions? We'll be the invading aliens that are threatening to destroy other planets.

I hope if his idea comes to fruition he at least screens out who gets a ride off this place to keep out all but those who actively tried to save it and showed that they would actually responsibly live on a planet. No climate deniers, no one who didn't bother to do anything to even lesson their footprint. I'd probably say even I wouldn't deserve on there, it really should be people who truly put a lot into lessning their footprint and actively trying to save the planet. Do more than just complain or donate a little money. Absolutely no politicians who pushed for allowing companies to do stuff that would destroy the earth or give them more free reign on it. Oh yeah, and no one running companies that did this either. No one who says they don't care what happens to the earth as long as it doesn't affect their personal life.

 

[kess]

Google ocean acidification if you want to get really cynical

 

[aeolist]

Seriously. My fiance is telling me one of Musk's goals is to be able to ship us off this planet if we ruin it. My thoughts are if we ruin it we don't deserve to be shipped off this planet. Especially as we already proved we'll destroy one planet, that just means we'll spread our disaster to others. Yes, I'm against his plan because I honestly don't think we deserve it. Whatever happened to taking the consequences for our actions? We'll be the invading aliens that are threatening to destroy other planets.

I hope if his idea comes to fruition he at least screens out who gets a ride off this place to keep out all but those who actively tried to save it and showed that they would actually responsibley live on a planet. No climate deniers, no one who didn't bother to do anything to even lesson their footprint (I'd probably say even I wouldn't deserve on there, it really should be people who truly put a lot into lessoning their footprint and actively trying to save the planet. Do more than just complain or donate a little money. Absolutely no politicians who pushed for allowing companies to do stuff that would destroy the earth or give them more free reign on it. Oh yeah, and no one running companies that did this either).

not that i think humanity is great ecologically speaking but there's nothing on mars (or anywhere else in the solar system) to destroy

 

[Tigress]

not that i think humanity is great ecologically speaking but there's nothing on mars (or anywhere else in the solar system) to destroy

Mars I'll give you. But if we managed to go outside our solar system, you really can't say that. Hell, for that matter are you really sure we know everything about our solar system to say there's nothing in it to destroy?

Anyways, it doesn't kill my point that if we destroy the earth and have to leave it, that those who helped to destroy it or didn't bother to help save it really don't deserve to be taken off. Nor should they because we should only save those that won't repeat the same mistake. Not those that would repeat it all over again.

 

[aeolist]

But if we managed to go outside our solar system, you really can't say that.

we're not, at least for several hundred years, and if we ever do manage it we'll have clean energy production and manufacturing as a prerequisite for surviving interstellar travel

Hell, for that matter are you really sure we know everything about our solar system to say there's nothing in it to destroy?

we're not sure obviously but at most we'd be intruding on bacterial ecosystems. we can pretty safely say that there's no complex multicelluar life in the solar system other than on earth.

Anyways, it doesn't kill my point that if we destroy the earth and have to leave it, that those who helped to destroy it or didn't bother to help save it really don't deserve to be taken off. Nor should they because we should only save those that won't repeat the same mistake. Not those that would repeat it all over again.

i think dooming future generations for the mistakes of their ancestors is wrong. if we followed that ideology now none of us would exist.

 

[Gutek]

Very sad. 😞 What is the point in living in this stupid world?

Things change. Get over it.

 

[Drazgul]

Welcome to the beach of the future:

(Note that the white rocks are actually human skulls)

I'd totally visit that beach, looks great.

 

[Tigress]

i think dooming future generations for the mistakes of their ancestors is wrong. if we followed that ideology now none of us would exist.

I think I was pointing out who I was screening out. If future generations show that they actively tried to save the planet they'd be allowed on (or given a chance anyways). I'm saying those that didn't or didn't try/put effort into it shouldn't be allowed. That's not dooming future generations for the sins of their ancestors. That's dooming people who actively did something to help the destruction of the earth or at the very least did nothing to stop it or in their own way helped the destruction of earth by not doing anything to lesson their footprint. Basically only allow those that showed they put effort into saving the earth so that we know they'd most likely treat the new planet the same. ANd keep out those that showed they most likely would be destructive to the new planet (and that includes people who just don't care. They are most likely cause they'd probably not care about the new planet either, especially if they felt they could just leave once it was destroyed. They're probably the ones we most should weed out). Weed out those that were the problem.

 

[SuperBanana]

I went to the Barrier Reef once. It was entirely bleached.

 

[pr0cs]

What proof are you looking for? Apparently scientists saying so isn't enough. Are you wanting them to name the scientists? Or do you want them to post all the data on the article itself. Or do you want pictures of the damage? Do you want credentials on the scientists maybe? Or to see their source funding?

And for every scientific piece of evidence there is corresponding evidence to refute it.
There simply isn't enough data for them to extrapolate that this issue in Australia is directly related to human effects.
But as usual someone will say it and the media and other sheep will run with it

 

[aeolist]

And for every scientific piece of evidence there is corresponding evidence to refute it.

lies

produce your evidence

 

[tcrunch]

And for every scientific piece of evidence there is corresponding evidence to refute it.

oh boy, I would love to see the studies you are reading