Coral comes under heat stress from warmer seas, reef in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Previously the UN threatened to downgrade the reef’s World Heritage listing in 2015. Australia created a “Reef 2050” plan. They also poured billions of dollars into the protection. Australia declares a “mass bleaching event” at Great Barrier Reef on 25th March.
United Nations began a monitoring mission to assess whether the World Heritage site is being protected from climate change. The mass bleaching report emerged four days after that.
The Reef Authority also said that bleached corals are under stress. But if conditions become more moderate, they can still recover. According to the Scientists, one of the main drivers of coral bleaching is the climate change that leading to warmer waters. This is occurs when corals expel algae living in their tissues, draining them of their vibrant colours.
Despite the cooling effect of the La Nina weather phenomenon Coral has been suffered and it is currently influencing Australia’s climate.
The Reef Authority which manages the world’s largest coral reef system has been reported that an aerial survey showed that the fourth since 2016, coral bleaching at multiple reefs which confirmed a mass bleaching event.
UNESCO’s mission is to assess whether the Australian government is doing their work accurately to address the threats to the Great Barrier Reef including climate change. They are getting sure before the World Heritage Committee considers listing it as in danger in June.
