Few natural icons are more famous or more beloved than the Great Barrier Reef. Thanks to the likes of David Attenborough and Nemo, millions of people around the world feel connected to this spectacular place, even if they’ve never visited. It’s a global symbol of anthropogenic climate change, and when mass bleaching events occur, the news reverberates across the world.
The conversation about the health of this irreplaceable ecosystem tends to be at two ends of the spectrum – the Reef’s either dead or it’s fine – depending on what media you consume. The truth is, the Reef is neither dying nor is it okay. The reality is much more nuanced and individual reefs (of which there are almost 3000) vary vastly in their health. However, the overarching message is that if we do not urgently reduce our emissions, the Reef we love will cease to exist as it does today.
The Intergovernmental Panel on
