Great Barrier Reef's survival at stake as oceans heat up

The Great Barrier Reef suffered a massive die-off of coral caused by extreme ocean temperatures in 2016 and 2017.
The Great Barrier Reef suffered a massive die-off of coral caused by extreme ocean temperatures in 2016 and 2017. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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SYDNEY • Scientists have again sounded the alarm about Australia's imperilled Great Barrier Reef, saying that by the 2030s, it could see devastating mass bleachings as often as every two years unless greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced.

"This would effectively sign the death certificate of one of the world's largest living marine structures," said Dr Martin Rice, acting chief executive of the Climate Council, a publicly funded Australian research institute.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 12, 2018, with the headline Great Barrier Reef's survival at stake as oceans heat up. Subscribe