Great Barrier Reef Faces Fifth Mass Bleaching in a Decade
Record-breaking global temperatures and climate change drive widespread coral bleaching, underscoring the urgent need for climate action.
- The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing its fifth mass coral bleaching event in nearly a decade, highlighting the ongoing impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.
- Officials attribute the bleaching to heat stress following a record-breaking year for global temperatures, with aerial surveys revealing widespread shallow water coral bleaching.
- The event is part of a global pattern of coral bleaching driven by climate change and exacerbated by El Niño conditions, affecting reefs worldwide.
- Despite the damage, bleached coral can recover if water temperatures normalize, though they become more vulnerable to stress and disease.
- Experts emphasize the need for global and local actions to address climate change and protect coral reefs, including reducing carbon emissions and limiting fossil fuel pollution.