Bleaching in Australia’s Coral Sea part of severe global blight. The Coral Sea, east of the Great Barrier Reef in the Pacific Ocean, is one of the few places in the world where large fish such as sharks, tuna, and billfish, still abound in large numbers. Its diverse range of habitats are formed by 30 separate coral reefs that are different from those of the Great Barrier Reef, with many of the inhabitant species still to be discovered.
Recently, however, this sea has become one of countless other major coral reefs worldwide falling victim to coral bleaching, in which they are destroyed by ocean temperatures reaching record high levels.
In locations around the globe, experts are reporting coral bleaching this year as the worst since 1998, when a similar event caused 16% of the world’s coral reefs to perish. In Thailand’s waters, up to 90% of the reefs have been bleached and 20% have already died. Meanwhile, places like the Coral Sea face another global warming-related threat in increased levels of carbon dioxide that are acidifying the waters.
Marine Biologist Nicola Temple of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, a group that is working to protect the Coral Sea from these threats, spoke about the problem during a recent event to raise public awareness and support.
Nicola Temple – Marine biologist, Australian Marine Conservation Society (F): The pH has remained stable for millions of years, and its changing at a rate that is unbelievable in the last 150 years.
And, it’s going to essentially disintegrate our coral reefs. All of the animals and organisms that sequester carbon into their skeletons and into their shells are not going to be able to do so – including the very oxygen producers that we rely so heavily on.
VOICE: Ms. Temple urged for two main ways to reduce these devastating impacts, emphasizing the invaluable role of oceans in our own lives.
Nicola Temple (F): Oceans drive our climate, and our weather. They are responsible for producing the oxygen – one in every two breaths we take. One of the things we can do that’s within our power immediately is, of course, to reduce our footprint, to reduce our carbon emissions. And that’s something that’s essential and has to happen in conjunction with trying to protect what we can while we still have it.
So large marine reserves that protect a huge percentage of the population will instill some resilience into the ecosystems so that they can have a better chance at fighting things such as global climate change.
VOICE: Our thanks, Ms. Temple and the Australian Marine Conservation Society for your endeavors to protect the precious Coral Sea and our planet. May we each do our part to reduce our environmental impact by taking action to preserve our vital oceans.
Nicola Temple (F): Hi, my name is Nicola Temple. I’m the Coral Sea campaigner for the Australian Marine Conservation Society. Be Veg, Go Green 2 Save the Planet!
Supreme Master Ching Hai has frequently urged for our conservation of the oceans and the lives they sustain, as during a May 2009 videoconference in Togo.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Balanced marine ecosystems are extremely important, as more than two-thirds of the planet is covered by oceans. They provide half of the world’s oxygen and play a major part in regulating the global climate.
So, life on Earth truly depends very much on the ocean for survival. In addition, oceans also absorb atmospheric CO2 – carbon dioxide – which directly helps to cool our planet.
From the oceans themselves, we are seeing warming temperatures, rising sea levels, increasing acidification and terrible levels of pollution. So global warming is affecting the oceans, which in turn is affecting the fish.
This is an equally urgent situation as the one presented by livestock industry, and it has the exact same solution. Stop eating the flesh; stop killing for food; stop eating the fish. This will help restore the balance of both the ocean and land, immediately.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/malaysia-closes-top-diving-sites-due-to-coral-bleaching-20100723-10o22.htmlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7896403/Coral-reefs-suffer-mass-bleaching.html Ponds bring back rare wildlife in the UK. In a partnership between the United Kingdom’s Environment Agency and wildlife charities such as Pond Conservation, the Million Pond Project in the past year has created or rehabilitated nearly 250 freshwater regional ponds.
With a plan to ultimately restore the million ponds last seen in the country about a century ago, success in the current water bodies has been noted through the sighting of rare species that include water voles, great crested newts, golden ringed dragonflies and unusual mosses.
Lord Chris Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency, said, “Ponds are incredibly important for hundreds of plants and animals, and also help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They are remarkably easy to create and, done in the right way, they will provide almost instant gratification as they quickly become very valuable habitats, supporting a wide range of species.”
Our green accolades, Lord Smith, Environment Agency, Pond Conservation and other wildlife organizations for your eco-balancing initiative. Blessed be such thoughtful efforts in restoring biodiversity to flourish across the land.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10752926 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7908248/Rare-freshwater-species-make-comeback-thanks-to-new-ponds.htmlExtra NewsAustralian scientists note that as ocean acidity increases with continued global warming, some fish species are also impacted through a diminished sense of smell that adversely affects their ability to survive.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7896681/Acidic-oceans-cause-fish-to-lose-ability-to-smell-danger.htmlIn Pakistan, where the once-mighty Indus River has dwindled to a shadow of its former self, water security has become a top priority, with emergency meetings held to discuss sharing between regions and with neighboring India.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/pakistans-drinkers-of-the-dust/article1650301/ http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/24-Jul-2010/Pak-India-agree-to-jointly-inspect-Indus-Riverhttp://www.indianexpress.com/news/A-case-of-exploding-mangoes/651284A University of California-Davis study in the USA forecasts that by 2050, global warming will add an additional 25 days per year that ground level ozone is at levels high enough to aggravate asthma and other lung conditions.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/ozone-258829-study-california.htmlhttp://www.physorg.com/news199107947.html A report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states that prolonged water scarcity in the Kindal area of the African country of Mali is threatening both lives and regional security.
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=89956A US cat food manufacturer has expanded the recall of its raw meat cat food, believed to be contaminated with Salmonella that can sicken both felines and humans who handle the food.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/salmonella-fears-extend-cat-food-recall/http://www.examiner.com/x-41662-West-LA-Pets-Examiner~y2010m7d17-Felines-Pride-expands-nationwide-cat-food-recall http://www.examiner.com/x-50703-Atlantic-City-Cats-Examiners~y2010m7d3-Nationwide-Cat-Food-Recall-Felines-Pride-suspects-Salmonella-Contamination
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