Australia declares 'mass bleaching' at Great Barrier Reef
An aerial survey showed coral bleaching at multiple reefs, “confirming a mass bleaching event, the fourth since 2016,” said a report by the Reef Authority, which manages the world’s largest coral reef system. The mass bleaching report emerged four days after the United Nations began a monitoring mission to assess whether the World Heritage site is being protected from climate change.(AFP) Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is suffering a “mass bleaching event” as coral comes under heat stress from warmer seas, reef authorities said Friday. An aerial survey showed coral bleaching at multiple reefs, “confirming a mass bleaching event, the fourth since 2016,” said a report by the Reef Authority, which manages the world’s largest coral reef system. Coral suffered despite the cooling effect of the La Nina weather phenomenon which is currently influencing Australia’s climate, the authority said. Scientists say climate change leading to warmer waters is one of the main drivers of coral ble...