Climate Change is killing coral reefs
In 2015 Hawaii experienced one of its worst bleaching events on record. for 18 consecutive weeks during our summer months, the ocean temperature surrounding the Hawaiian Islands increased by 3 degrees Fahrenheit. During this time we lost 95% of our Cauliflower Corals and 50% of our corals overall. Since the last major bleaching event that lasted from 2015-2017 globally, Cauliflower Coral (Pocillopora Meandrina) has been petitioned by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to be added to the Endangered Species Act. Learn more here:
“Coral reefs are being eliminated from the planet rapidly by climate change. In particular, increasing sea temperatures have already caused widespread coral bleaching and mortality. In addition, elevated carbon dioxide levels are causing ocean acidification that may further accelerate coral reef loss.
Over recent decades, worldwide, over 50% of living coral has been lost on coral reefs due to a combination of local factors and global climate change. In 2016-17 bleaching alone caused the loss of half the shallow water corals on the northern 700 km of the Great Barrier Reef and substantial damage elsewhere. Recovery from such events is a decades-long process. With bleaching now frequent, reefs have little time to rebuild.”