The Great Barrier Reef Has Lost Half Its Corals

great-barrier-reef

The Great Barrier Reef, one of the earth’s most precious habitats, lost half of its coral populations in the last quarter-century, a decline that researchers in Australia said would continue unless drastic action is taken to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Two vital buffers against climate change are just offshore

A new study finds that about 31 million people worldwide live in coastal regions that are “highly vulnerable” to future tropical storms and sea-level rise driven by climate change. In some of those regions, however, powerful defenses are located just offshore.

Cyclones can damage even distant reefs

Big and strong cyclones can harm coral reefs as far as 1000 kilometers away from their paths, new research shows. A new study sounds a warning about the way strong cyclone winds build extreme seas that affect coral reefs in Australia and around the world.