China News Service, April 8, according to the British "Guardian" reported that the third large-scale bleaching event occurred in the Great Barrier Reef in five years. Australian scientists said that this was a signal of the Great Barrier Reef's marine miracle "calling for emergency assistance" Call on people to act against climate change.
In late March, Professor Terry Hughes, director of the James Cook University Center for Excellence in Coral Reefs, conducted a survey of 1,036 coral reefs from the plane in 9 days. At the same time, the Marine Park Authority also sent an observer.
According to the analysis of this survey, one of the quarters of the Great Barrier Reef experienced the most severe bleaching in history.
Dr. David Walkenfield, chief scientist of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, said, "My biggest concern is that people will lose hope for the Great Barrier Reef. There is no action without hope."
"People need to see these (albino) events. These clear signals indicate that the Great Barrier Reef is calling for urgent help and we are asked to do everything we can."
In 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017 and 2020, the Great Barrier Reef experienced five large-scale bleaching events, all caused by the rise in ocean temperature caused by global warming. In the two large-scale bleaching in 2016 and 2017, the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef was basically spared, but now it has experienced moderate or severe bleaching.
Hughes said that the severity of albinism in 2020 is second only to 2016.
Corals can recover from slight bleaching, but these corals are more susceptible to disease. Severe bleaching can even kill corals.
Hughes said: "It is not too late to take quick action to reverse this situation."
At the same time, some scientists worry that the heat absorbed by the ocean is rising, pushing tropical reefs to a critical point, and many places are bleaching almost every year.
Wackenfield said, "A single climate event will not 'kill' the Great Barrier Reef, but continuous climate change will cause more damage to it. Its resilience is not unlimited, and we need to take the most powerful measures against climate change. Action ".
Measures to improve the resilience of coral reefs include improving water quality, controlling the outbreak of coral-eating starfish, and research and development to improve the heat resistance of corals.
But "all of these cannot replace strong action on emissions," Vackenfield said. "Solving the climate problem is the foundation of everything else."
Queensland ’s Minister of Environment and Great Barrier Reef, Lien Enoch, said climate change, runoff pollution and other threats are testing the ability of the Great Barrier Reef to recover from major disturbances such as large-scale bleaching events and severe tropical cyclones.
She emphasized that what is still missing is the leadership and action of the Australian Federal Government on climate change.