According to research published on Thursday Water temperatures in and around Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have risen to their warmest in 400 years over the past decade, placing the world’s largest reef under threat
The world’s largest living ecosystem, stretches for some 1,500 miles.
The study published on Thursday by a group of scientists from across Australia says temperatures around the spectacular 2,400km-long
A group of scientists at universities across Australia drilled cores into the coral and, much like counting the rings on a tree, analyzed the samples to measure summer ocean temperatures going back to 1618.
Co-author Helen McGregor said she was extremely concerned about the reef, describing the temperature increases as unprecedented.
“These are corals that have lived for 400 years and this is the warmest temperatures they’re experiencing. These are the Redwood trees of the reef,
The world is losing one of its icons,” said Benjamin Henley, an academic at the University of Melbourne and one of the study’s co-authors
“Australia must increase its ambition, action and commitments to battle climate change and protect our greatest natural asset,” she said.
