'Huge' coral bleaching unfolding across the Americas prompts fears of global tragedy
Source: The Guardian
‘Huge’ coral bleaching unfolding across the Americas prompts fears of global tragedy
Scientists stunned by unprecedented heat-stress event say they can only hope it ‘motivates and unites people’
Graham Readfearn
@readfearn
Fri 11 Aug 2023 06.59 BST
Last modified on Fri 11 Aug 2023 09.52 BST
Corals across several countries are bleaching and dying en masse from unprecedented levels of heat stress, prompting fears that an unfolding tragedy in Central America, North America and the Caribbean could become a global event.
US government scientists have confirmed reefs in Panama, Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Mexico and six countries in the Caribbean, including the Bahamas and Cuba, are suffering significant bleaching, alongside corals in Florida that began turning white almost a month ago.
“I don’t think any of these places have seen heat stress like this before,” said Dr Derek Manzello, coordinator of Coral Reef Watch at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“This will only get worse until there is a global reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This is essentially a big field experiment. The big fear is there will be catastrophic mortality.”
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/11/coral-bleaching-central-america
Non-walled link: https://archive.li/TrENh
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