By Brett Walton Defying a vote of the County Council, Maui Mayor Michael Victorino said on Oct.18 that he will not settle a Clean Water Act lawsuit that holds national implications for water pollution permitting. Instead of the settlement that the council authorized last month, Victorino prefers to have the nation’s highest court decide whether […]
Marine heat waves are increasing in frequency, duration and intensity, which spell trouble for corals, according to new research from scientists working at the Great Barrier Reef. The increased frequency in heat waves is a direct byproduct of the climate crisis the scientists say, as the BBC reported. The researchers knew that oceanic heat waves […]
The federal agency that manages the Great Barrier Reef issued an unprecedented statement that broke ranks with Australia’s conservative government and called for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Guardian. The position statement issued by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is unequivocal in its stance that the climate crisis […]
Marine biologists are dealing with a mystery. What’s killing the coral reefs in the Caribbean? The scientists first noticed a deadly outbreak earlier this year off the coast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Big white lesions were breaking up the colorful tissues of stony corals. Some corals died the next day, bleaching […]
Light pollution is increasing near coral reefs as coastal developments expand. Some bungalows are even built above the reef with clear floors, so that tourists can watch the fish at night. But that means the fish can see the light from the bungalows, too. A group of Australian researchers set out to investigate how that […]
By Cody Clements Coral reefs are home to so many species that they often are called “the rainforests of the seas.” Today they face a daunting range of threats, including ocean warming and acidification, overfishing and pollution. Worldwide, more than one-third of all coral species are at risk of extinction. I am one of many […]
June 8 is World Oceans Day, a chance to honor and celebrate our blue planet. Ocean lovers around the world will attend beach cleanings and other events or join a March for the Ocean to call for an end to activities that harm marine life, like offshore oil drilling and plastic pollution. The oceans generate most of […]
A new report warns that climate change could displace more than a billion people, leave two billion without regular water access and lead to a breakdown in international order by 2050 if nations do not increase their commitments under the Paris agreement. “Climate change now represents a near- to mid-term existential threat to human civilization,” […]
A changing climate is altering oceans in major ways and coral reefs around the planet may not be able to adapt to survive. Ocean acidification (OA) occurs when carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is absorbed by seawater, resulting in a chemical reaction that reduces pH and calcium carbonate levels vital for the growth and repair […]
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