'Extremely unusual': Hottest ocean temperature in 400 years threatens the Great Barrier Reef

[Grim Reaper 6]

The Great Barrier Reef is now facing the hottest sea surface temperatures in four centuries, a new study finds. The rapid warming is causing massive coral bleaching which threatens the marine ecosystem and biodiversity, the scientists warned. 

"The world is losing one of its icons," study lead author Benjamin Henley, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Melbourne, Australia, said at a news conference Tuesday (Aug. 6). "We will sadly see the demise of one of Earth's most spectacular natural wonders.".

https://www.livescience.com/animals/extremely-unusual-hottest-ocean-temperature-in-400-years-threatens-the-great-barrier-reef

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Don’t worry, the Australian government will find a way to either fudge the figures, or discredit the research/researchers or totally not bribe the experts who come in to examine the damage like they did all the other times people warned of events damaging the reef. 

[Grim Reaper 6]

6 minutes ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

Don’t worry, the Australian government will find a way to either fudge the figures, or discredit the research/researchers or totally not bribe the experts who come in to examine the damage like they did all the other times people warned of events damaging the reef. 

That’s very sad my friend, but I doubt they will be successful because this situation is being watched globally by environmentalists.

JIMHO

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

2 minutes ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

That’s very sad my friend, but I doubt they will be successful because this situation is being watched globally by environmentalists.

JIMHO

As was the last time, when the frigging UN was telling the government it was at risk of extinction. The government said “no it’s not” stuff happened behind the scenes and suddenly the UN says “well, it’s at risk eventually.” The science etc behind the UN report didn’t change, “something else” changed and suddenly it’s not a problem anymore. 

[Grim Reaper 6]

17 minutes ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

As was the last time, when the frigging UN was telling the government it was at risk of extinction. The government said “no it’s not” stuff happened behind the scenes and suddenly the UN says “well, it’s at risk eventually.” The science etc behind the UN report didn’t change, “something else” changed and suddenly it’s not a problem anymore. 

I wasn’t aware of that, that’s really freakin strange!

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

10 hours ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

I wasn’t aware of that, that’s really freakin strange!

Nah, if the reef is designated “severely endangered” or “at risk of extinction” … tourism suffers. And the PM at the time was obsessed with tourism (particularly given he was the porkchop directly responsible for the “where the bloody hell are you?” campaign). So the government going “**** the facts, money matters” is entirely in character. 

[Piney]

5 hours ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

Nah, if the reef is designated “severely endangered” or “at risk of extinction” … tourism suffers. And the PM at the time was obsessed with tourism (particularly given he was the porkchop directly responsible for the “where the bloody hell are you?” campaign). So the government going “**** the facts, money matters” is entirely in character. 

Sounds like the Jersey shore. Wipe out whole habitats for beach replenishment...

[Grim Reaper 6]

11 hours ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

Nah, if the reef is designated “severely endangered” or “at risk of extinction” … tourism suffers. And the PM at the time was obsessed with tourism (particularly given he was the porkchop directly responsible for the “where the bloody hell are you?” campaign). So the government going “**** the facts, money matters” is entirely in character. 

I never thought of the effect that it would have on tourism that really sucks.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

2 hours ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

I never thought of the effect that it would have on tourism that really sucks.

But ALL they cared about was the effect on tourism, they didn’t DO anything to reverse the bleaching etc - just “convinced” the UN specialists to not call it “critically endangered”, because our government didn’t then, doesn’t now and never will, care about anything other than money. At least the current mob are pretending to care about other stuff, last one didn’t even pretend. 

[Grim Reaper 6]

1 minute ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

But ALL they cared about was the effect on tourism, they didn’t DO anything to reverse the bleaching etc - just “convinced” the UN specialists to not call it “critically endangered”, because our government didn’t then, doesn’t now and never will, care about anything other than money. At least the current mob are pretending to care about other stuff, last one didn’t even pretend. 

It’s a very sad state of affairs no matter how you look at it. The reef is such an important biological resource those people need their heads examined, because if they lose it they will regret it long term.

[WVK]

On 8/8/2024 at 1:04 PM, Grim Reaper 6 said:

The Great Barrier Reef is now facing the hottest sea surface temperatures in four centuries, a new study finds. The rapid warming is causing massive coral bleaching which threatens the marine ecosystem and biodiversity, the scientists warned. 

"The world is losing one of its icons," study lead author Benjamin Henley, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Melbourne, Australia, said at a news conference Tuesday (Aug. 6). "We will sadly see the demise of one of Earth's most spectacular natural wonders.".

https://www.livescience.com/animals/extremely-unusual-hottest-ocean-temperature-in-400-years-threatens-the-great-barrier-reef

Were accurate temperatures measurements being made 400 years ago? 

[Doc Socks Junior]

2 hours ago, WVK said:

Were accurate temperatures measurements being made 400 years ago? 

No, but the actual question you want to ask is: are we able to get accurate measurements now of what temperatures were 400 years ago.

The answer to that more intelligent question is: yes.

[Grim Reaper 6]

4 hours ago, WVK said:

Were accurate temperatures measurements being made 400 years ago? 

Here we have another climate crisis denier, as Doc said below we are able to determine those temperatures so what’s your point?

2 hours ago, Doc Socks Junior said:

No, but the actual question you want to ask is: are we able to get accurate measurements now of what temperatures were 400 years ago.

The answer to that more intelligent question is: yes.

 

[WVK]

2 hours ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

Here we have another climate crisis denier, as Doc said below we are able to determine those temperatures so what’s your point?

I’m not a climate denier just wondering how they are able to determine what temperatures were 400 years ago.

[Grim Reaper 6]

19 minutes ago, WVK said:

I’m not a climate denier just wondering how they are able to determine what temperatures were 400 years ago.

Ok, I apologize for that comment. They can determine the temperature in the past using the following methods, but you could have done a internet search to find the answer.

How do we know how warm or cold it was in the past?  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/mar/07/past-climate-temperature-proxies#:~:text=Scientists must rely solely on,as ice%2C rocks and fossils.

[Tatetopa]

What will happen to tourism when the reef dies?  I suppose that is somebody else problem in 20-30 years.

[Doc Socks Junior]

6 hours ago, WVK said:

I’m not a climate denier just wondering how they are able to determine what temperatures were 400 years ago.

Well, your question really depends on what temperature one is trying to measure.

You could have read the study referenced in the OP, where they describe their specific methodology in the specific case your specific question was specifically about.

[psyche101]

24 minutes ago, Tatetopa said:

What will happen to tourism when the reef dies?  I suppose that is somebody else problem in 20-30 years.

There are over a hundred indigenous government funded programs to maintain the reef 

It's still plagued by crown of thorns starfish. 

If it does die, I feel it will be out of our control regardless of efforts. 

[Tatetopa]

6 minutes ago, psyche101 said:

There are over a hundred indigenous government funded programs to maintain the reef 

It's still plagued by crown of thorns starfish. 

If it does die, I feel it will be out of our control regardless of efforts. 

Good luck to you and all of us. 

Its hard for me to tell anymore whether some people still don't believe in climate change or just figure they will be dead by then so get it while they can and screw the future.

[psyche101]

6 minutes ago, Tatetopa said:

Good luck to you and all of us. 

Its hard for me to tell anymore whether some people still don't believe in climate change or just figure they will be dead by then so get it while they can and screw the future.

Good thing is our government is very orientated towards a cleaner space. We are wondering if the Paris Climate accords are achievable as we have committed heavily, and we have pledged  climate asylum to the entire population of Tuvalu which is under threat from global warming. 

[WVK]

8 hours ago, Doc Socks Junior said:

Well, your question really depends on what temperature one is trying to measure.

You could have read the study referenced in the OP, where they describe their specific methodology in the specific case your specific question was specifically about.

Yes, I should have read it first. Personally I try to be frugal with energy consumption, a trait picked up from my parents who endured the Great Depression. 

[Doc Socks Junior]

4 hours ago, WVK said:

Yes, I should have read it first. Personally I try to be frugal with energy consumption, a trait picked up from my parents who endured the Great Depression. 

Not very relevant, but good luck with that. Luckily, my parents didn't have to endure the Great Depression so they apparently gifted me the ability to learn things without worrying. I wasn't aware I was so fortunate.