The Great Barrier Reef in Australia supports over half of the hard coral species and one third of the soft coral species in the world; however, the cumulative impact of human activities such as agriculture, mining, and industrial development have caused an estimated 50% loss of coral cover (Grech et al., 2015). Ocean acidification is one of the primary causes of this loss and is arguably one of the most detrimental consequences of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. With increased burning of fossil fuels, more carbon dioxide collects in the atmosphere, increasing the planet’s temperature. Approximately 30% of this carbon dioxide dissolves in the oceans, producing carbonic acid and lowering the pH levels of all oceans (Waters,
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Long term records of coral calcification across the Central Great Barrier Reef show a 14.2% decline in calcification rates since 1990 (D’Olivo et al., 2013). Aragonite, a carbonate mineral considered a prerequisite for biotic calcification, is more easily dissolved when oceanic carbonate concentrations fall. According to a study published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, “since industrialization, global average atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by about 36%....and the aragonite saturation state has decreased by about 16%” (De’ath et al., 2009). With the decline in aragonite, many marine organisms are unable to produce their shells, making them more vulnerable to disease and death. Reducing Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions will help to restore calcium carbonate levels so that corals can begin to sustain the calcification process again. Although outlook reports identify climate change as a major challenge facing the reef, Australia “currently [has] no market-based mechanism in place to reduce carbon emissions” (“Response to Draft Reef 2050 Plan”, 2014). Thus, the plan must be amended such that Australia’s emissions are significantly …show more content…
The Reef 2050 Plan, however, does not explicitly address the impacts of climate change and has just three actions referencing climate change out of 139 total actions (“Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan”, 2015). WWF-Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society recommend that “a specific section on climate change mitigation and adaptation be added to the Plan, complete with outcomes, targets, and actions” (“Evaluation of Australia’s Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan”, 2015). Especially in Australia, where one of the largest exports is thermal coal, it is vital to switch from a fossil fuel energy economy to one that promotes renewable energy (Grech et al., 2015). This switch will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, therefore decreasing oceanic carbon sequestration, which will decrease the effects of ocean acidification and sea level warming. As it currently stands, the Reef 2050 Plan does not do enough to ensure restoration of the Great Barrier Reef, but nevertheless, efforts to preserve this valuable and biologically diverse ecosystem must be sustained and improved
Long term records of coral calcification across the Central Great Barrier Reef show a 14.2% decline in calcification rates since 1990 (D’Olivo et al., 2013). Aragonite, a carbonate mineral considered a prerequisite for biotic calcification, is more easily dissolved when oceanic carbonate concentrations fall. According to a study published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, “since industrialization, global average atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased by about 36%....and the aragonite saturation state has decreased by about 16%” (De’ath et al., 2009). With the decline in aragonite, many marine organisms are unable to produce their shells, making them more vulnerable to disease and death. Reducing Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions will help to restore calcium carbonate levels so that corals can begin to sustain the calcification process again. Although outlook reports identify climate change as a major challenge facing the reef, Australia “currently [has] no market-based mechanism in place to reduce carbon emissions” (“Response to Draft Reef 2050 Plan”, 2014). Thus, the plan must be amended such that Australia’s emissions are significantly …show more content…
The Reef 2050 Plan, however, does not explicitly address the impacts of climate change and has just three actions referencing climate change out of 139 total actions (“Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan”, 2015). WWF-Australia and the Australian Marine Conservation Society recommend that “a specific section on climate change mitigation and adaptation be added to the Plan, complete with outcomes, targets, and actions” (“Evaluation of Australia’s Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan”, 2015). Especially in Australia, where one of the largest exports is thermal coal, it is vital to switch from a fossil fuel energy economy to one that promotes renewable energy (Grech et al., 2015). This switch will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, therefore decreasing oceanic carbon sequestration, which will decrease the effects of ocean acidification and sea level warming. As it currently stands, the Reef 2050 Plan does not do enough to ensure restoration of the Great Barrier Reef, but nevertheless, efforts to preserve this valuable and biologically diverse ecosystem must be sustained and improved