“Climate change is happening and the reef is already feeling the effects,” said Tuesday’s report. Of the 719 reefs surveyed, 654 — or 91 percent — exhibited some degree of coral bleaching, according to the report. The current heat wave has been going on since December.
It is the first time that the reef has been affected by bleaching during a La Niña climate period, when cooler temperatures are normally expected. While bleached corals are still alive and moderately affected sections of the reef may be recovering, “heavily bleached corals have a higher mortality rate,” the report said. Coral bleaching is a phenomenon that occurs when corals are stressed and they lose the colorful algae that live inside them.
Ahead of parliamentary elections in ten days, environmentalists urged politicians to do more to protect the climate. “While bleaching is becoming more common, it is not normal and we should not tolerate it,” said Lissa Schindler of the Australian Marine Conservation Society. “Both major political parties need to face the fact that their climate targets are not enough for the reef.”
Next month, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will decide whether to classify the Great Barrier Reef as “Vulnerable”. In 2015, Australia managed to avoid an imminent World Heritage downgrade by the government by drawing up a long-term action plan and investing billions in protection measures.