Study: Hottest Sea in 400 Years Threatens Great Barrier Reef
According to a study published in Nature on Thursday, water temperatures in and around Australia's Great Barrier Reef have reached their highest levels in 400 years in the past decade, posing an existential threat to the marine ecosystem and biodiversity....
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Facts
- According to a study published in Nature on Thursday, water temperatures in and around Australia's Great Barrier Reef have reached their highest levels in 400 years in the past decade, posing an existential threat to the marine ecosystem and biodiversity.[1]
- The researchers reconstructed sea surface temperature from 1618 to 2024 using coral skeleton samples and ship and satellite data and found that the sea had warmed 0.12°C (0.22°F) on average from 1960 through 2024.[2][3]
- Repeated bleaching events — which occur when water temperatures rise by more than 1°C (1.8°F) — threaten the reef's fragile ecosystem and deplete the coral's nutrients and color.[4]
- The study found that 2024 was the hottest in at least 407 years and 1.73°C hotter than the average for years before 1900, adding mass bleaching events were recorded this year as well as in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2022.[5][6]
- The Great Barrier Reef is home to at least 600 types of coral and over 1.6K fish species and contributes about $4.2B to Australia's economy annually from tourism and other industries.[7]
- The 348K square-kilometer-long reef is listed by the UN as a world heritage site. Last month, the World Heritage Committee decided not to place it on a list of world heritage sites 'in danger,' stating it would reevaluate the matter in 2026.[8]
Sources: [1]Reuters, [2]Livescience.Com, [3]Independent, [4]France 24, [5]Guardian, [6]State of the Planet, [7]Al Jazeera and [8]DCCEEW.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Nature. The scientific evidence strongly indicates that human-induced climate change is responsible for increased ocean temperatures, which threaten the world's largest reef. Australia must do more to reduce its emissions to battle climate change and protect its greatest natural asset.
- Narrative B, as provided by The Maritime Executive. While climate change could affect ocean temperatures, weather phenomena such as El Niño may also play a role. Chaotic weather patterns can reduce ocean cloud cover, which could lead to an increase in solar radiation and ocean warming. Further research is required to establish certainty.
