Australian scientists have found the “most diverse coral site” on the Great Barrier Reef, observing at least 195 different species of corals in space no longer than 500 meters, The Guardian reported. The non-profit organization Great Barrier Reef Legacy and marine scientist Charlie Veron, a world expert on coral reefs, confirmed the diversity of the […]
By Amy McDermott Hawaii’s knobby finger coral careened toward extinction in 2015. The species was so rare that scientists could only find a few fragments in the wild, scattered across the seabed of Oahu’s Kaneohe Bay. It might have been a familiar story. Vanishing species like Southern Resident orcas and North Atlantic right whales pile […]
By Allison Guy In May 2016, technical divers descended 200 feet to Benham Bank, the shallowest portion of a huge underwater plateau off the Philippines’ northeast tip. As they neared the bottom, an otherworldly landscape emerged from the dim cobalt blue. Plates of coral grew one atop the other like china at a yard sale, […]
The Great Barrier Reef—Australia’s remarkable but imperiled natural wonder—is under risk of repeat coral bleaching events unless greenhouse gas emissions are slashed, Australia’s Climate Council warned Thursday. The new report, Lethal Consequences: Climate Change Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef, determined that by 2034, the extreme ocean temperatures that led to the mass bleaching events […]
Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed a bill Tuesday prohibiting the sale of sunscreen that contains chemicals considered harmful to ocean ecosystems, including coral reefs. The Aloha State is the first in the nation to enact such a law. “Studies have documented the negative impact of these chemicals on corals and other marine life. Our natural […]
By Patrick Rogers Famous for its turquoise waters and spectacularly diverse animal and plant life, the Maldives also bears the unwelcome distinction of being the country most vulnerable to rising sea levels. The island chain in the Indian Ocean is the flattest nation on earth, with most of its land lying less than five feet […]
In a sobering reminder of the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity, a survey by the Japanese government found that barely more than one percent of the coral in the country’s largest coral reef is healthy, AFP reported Friday. The reef, located in the Sekisei Lagoon near Okinawa, has suffered mass coral bleaching events […]
Lawmakers in Hawaii passed a bill Tuesday prohibiting the sale of sunscreens that are harmful to ocean ecosystems, including coral reefs. The bill now heads to Governor David Ige for his signature. If signed, Hawaii will ban these sunscreens starting Jan. 1, 2021 and become the first state in the nation to enact such a […]
The Australian government announced Sunday its largest investment in the Great Barrier Reef to date. More than $500 million Australian dollars (US $379 million) will go towards helping the highly vulnerable site that’s under threat from climate change. However, some have criticized the move as a “band-aid plan” as the fossil fuel-friendly government promotes the […]
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