ENVIRONMENT
PARIS: Dynamite fishing and pollution-but mostly global warming-wiped out 14% of the world’s coral reefs from 2009 to 2018,leaving graveyards of bleached skeletons where vibrant eco systems once thrived, according to the largest ever survey of coral health.
“Climate change is the biggest threat to the world’s reefs” Paul Hardisty, CEO of Australian Institute of Marine Science, said in statement.
Ocean absorbs more than 90% of the excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions, shielding land surfaces but generating huge, long-lasting marine heatwaves that are pushing many species of corals past their limits of tolerance.
In Tanzania, the 1997-1998 global coral bleaching event caused mortalities of up to 80% in some of Tanzania’s reefs. This worldwide bleaching event was caused by elevated sea surface temperature due to El-Nino. Sea surface temperature were 2 degree Celsius higher than average over 30 degree Celsius.
