Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef, has been hit by a “large-scale bleaching,” the fourth since 2016, due to above-average ocean temperatures. This was announced by the Marine Park Authority of the Great Barrier Reef on Friday, the body responsible for the reef.
Surveillance flights indicated a discoloration of the coral of several reefs. “That confirms a major bleaching phenomenon, for the fourth time since 2016,” the report says. However, this year the weather phenomenon La Niña occurred, bringing colder seawater temperatures, the authority said.
The phenomenon of dieback, which manifests itself in bleaching, is a result of the rise in water temperature, which in turn is a consequence of climate change. As a result, symbiotic algae that give color to the coral disappear.
Even though the bleached corals are under stress, they can recover if conditions improve, the same source says. “The meteorological situation over the next two weeks is crucial to determine the extent and severity of the coral bleaching in the marine park.”
The study on this phenomenon of large-scale bleaching comes four days after the United Nations began assessing whether the natural monument, classified as a World Heritage Site, is adequately protected against climate change.
UNESCO is investigating whether the Australian government is taking sufficient action against the threats to the Great Barrier Reef, in particular climate change. A decision will be made in June whether the reef will be classified as “endangered”.
Australia has already launched the ‘Reef 2050’ conservation plan, for billions of dollars. The initiative came after the United Nations threatened in 2015 to place the reef on the list of endangered world heritage sites.
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