The largest coral reef in the world and home to hundreds of aquatic species, the great Barrier Reef, is a remarkable spectacle to behold. Recently, the news has broadcasted how this is a record breaking El Nino season with rising water temperatures. As a result of such severe climate, this has caused the coral reef to have alarming high levels of bleaching. If there ever was a moment to grasp the damage and realization that climate change is an ever more precedent problem, the bleaching of the reef is proof of that.
According to scientists more than 40 percent of the reef has been damaged which is approximately 1430 miles. These scientists agree this degree of bleaching may cause permeant damages as the El Nino season has only begun. Although the Great Barrier Reef encompasses only 0.2 of the ocean, more than a quarter of marine species live in the reefs. Numerous scientists are coming up with solutions to this problem because bleached coral is not necessarily dead coral. If water temperatures decrease quick enough, algae can regrow atop the coral to rejuvenate it back to health. In addition, another solution to climate change is when scientists grow coral in labs and place them in the wild to replenish the lost coral. However, this is a relatively new technique that requires time and money. Furthermore, this incident is not confined to the Great Barrier Reef but is affecting all reefs across the globe. For example, on the Christmas Island, part the Republic of the Kiritimati, the reefs are estimated to have a 75 percent chance of mortality. On the other hand, this is a sobering moment for people that downplayed the crisis of climate change like Greg hunt, the Australian Minister for the Environment, who advocated the funding cuts for climate science. In addition, he gave approval for a major expansion to an existing coal port adjacent to the reef, that could cause severe damage. Even worse is that scientists predict that within the next 60 years coral reefs with coral bleaching will approach 100. A scary sight to behold if the world every reaches such a catastrophe.
Even though humans do not live in the oceans, its makes up 70 percent of the world and is where we get a huge source of food. People across the globe must come to together to battle such problems against the environment. Since such men as Greg Hunt will abuse the environment, ignoring the current crisis at hand.
