On March 8, Australian officials warned that widespread bleaching is occurring on the country's famous coral reef and that mass coral loss is likely if ocean temperatures do not cool down in the coming weeks.
The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest living structure visible from space, was listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1981.
Previously, the 2,300km tropical coral reef, home to a beautiful biodiversity ecosystem, has experienced six severe, large-scale bleaching events in 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2022, threatening to turn the once vibrant coral reefs white.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek stressed that climate change is the biggest threat to coral reefs around the world and the Great Barrier Reef is no exception. Coral bleaching occurs when water temperatures are 1 degree warmer than average over a long period of time, causing corals to expel algae that live in their tissues and lose their vibrant colours. Some bleached corals can recover significantly and may be able to recover if sea temperatures drop.
Australian government scientists confirmed the latest bleaching event after conducting an aerial survey of 300 “shallow” coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef Authority said further surveys would be needed to assess the scale and extent of the bleaching.
Sea temperatures along the Great Barrier Reef have risen to record highs in recent weeks, according to monitoring results. Richard Leck, head of oceans at the World Wildlife Fund Australia, warned that mass coral deaths could occur if ocean temperatures do not cool in the coming weeks. The bleaching occurred in an area where corals have not been exposed to such extreme temperatures before, highlighting the enormous pressure climate change is putting on the Great Barrier Reef.
Last year, a similar bleaching event occurred in the Northern Hemisphere, causing mass coral deaths in Florida and the Caribbean.
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