Our Vanishing Coral Reefs

Climate Emergency Forum discusses the dire state of coral reefs globally due to rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change and a deep concern over their unprecedented bleaching.

This video was recorded on April 23rd, 2024, and published on May 12th, 2024 and represents the opinions of the discussion participants.

Coral bleaching, where corals expel the algae living symbiotically with them due to heat stress, was first observed in the 1980s but has become increasingly frequent and severe. The current global bleaching event, which began in February 2023, is described as the longest, most widespread, and intense on record, affecting all major reef regions from the tropics to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Entire reef systems like the Great Barrier Reef are experiencing over 80% bleaching down to depths of 60 feet, which is extremely abnormal.

Coral reefs, which support 25% of marine life, provide immense ecological and economic value estimated at $9.8 trillion per year, and represent one of Earth's most biodiverse ecosystems, are being destroyed before our eyes due to human-caused climate change. Grief is expressed over this loss of natural beauty and one of the planet's greatest examples of mutualism between species.

Links:
- Coral reef

- NOAA Coral Reef Watch

- Temperatures Are Off the Charts: World Is Experiencing Its Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event

- NOAA - Daily Global 5km Satellite Coral Bleaching Heat Stress Alert Area

- Coral Reef Watch

- Can the Great Barrier Reef survive climate change?

- Global warming transforms coral reef assemblages

- The ocean has become more stratified with global warming

- Peak oil' could be on the horizon, but new fossil fuel projects are pushing ahead

- Global coal demand expected to decline in coming years

- How criminalization is being used to silence climate activists across the world

- A report on climate and energy policy advocacy by the Canadian oil and gas sector

- National oil company

Regular Panelists:
Dr. Peter Carter - MD, Expert IPCC Reviewer and the director of the Climate Emergency Institute

Paul Beckwith - Climate Systems Scientist. Professor at the University of Ottawa's Paleoclimatology Laboratory as well as at Carleton University

Regina Valdez - Program Director, Climate Reality Project, NYC. GreenFaith Fellow and LEED Green Associate

Video Production:
Charles Gregoire - Electrical Engineer, Webmaster and IT prime for FacingFuture.Earth & the Climate Emergency Forum; Climate Reality Leader

Heidi Brault - Video production and website assistant, Organizer and convener, Metadata technician, COP team lead for FacingFuture.Earth and the Climate Emergency Forum; BA (Psychology); Climate Reality Leader

Our Website:

Attributions:
Background Music:
- Title: Through the City II
- Author: Crowander
- Source: Free Music Archive
- License: CC BY-NC 4.0

[Zankras]

Thank you for making these videos and keeping us all informed. The amount of people barrelling towards climate collapse with no knowledge of what's happening or what more is to come is horrifying to me.

[treefrog]

The magical, mysterious interwoven complexity of "LIFE" itself upon planet Earth is a phenomenon that is ignored or missed by many of us. Ironically, we are VERY aware and incensed when any sacrilege or disrespect occurs to our man-made religious icons, but when those slights occur to the biggest mystery of ALL - we take it in stride. Our culturally misplaced priorities boggles this mind. Sometimes I feel like an alien species with utterly different sensibilities!

[JoeySmallwood]

I was a dive instructor on Maui during the 2015 bleaching event and I recorded water temperatures of 82° and bleaching at 80 feet depth

[TennesseeJed]

Thanks for covering the news of our impending losses.

[anthonydavies]

Profound words from all of you. I recently started to do some conservation volunteering on a local nature reserve and it has given me so much pleasure. It is helping me to feel that I can do something on the positive side of the equation. We have been musing on how climate change could be causing certain indigenous plants to predominate, when they were just part of the warp and weave of the plant community before. The destruction of the coral reefs is ecocide of unimaginable proportions, and fossil fuel company CEOs and their enabling governments should be held responsible and punished, for depriving us and future generations of an infinitely precious natural wonder, and the destruction of the fabulously diverse coral ecosystems.

[beverleyhuish]

Thank you ❤ for covering this horrible situation.

The word tragedy just doesn't even seem to cover it.

[lornareay]

Thank you. You have presented this so well. It's devastating to contemplate what is happening. I hope many people will watch this, as well as your other presentations.

[leskuzyk]

If I recall, the polyps at a certain temp dump their symbiotic smaller living entities. And, they die. Color bleaches out, and the reefs turn white.

[danielcolman]

The gulf between this and the mainstream news is frightening. Two alternative realities, one true, painful, but true. Thank you all for documenting ongoing tragedy and being honest. It empowers me to live with purpose and chimes in with and instinctive understanding that something ain't right!

[robertlussier]

See "Nature Bats Last" March 25, 2024 for Guy McPherson's latest update on coral bleaching.
Edit: Paul, sure the coral skeleton is formed with calcium, but in the form of calcium carbonate. Many hundreds of tons of carbon is locked up in the living reef, but a dead reef can no longer form a calcium carbonate skeleton.

[amberazurescale]

Gosh, what a devastatingly depressing video. Paul is again at his peak performance, putting an unspeakable drama into words. Takes a lot to make me feel this sad and heartbroken, yet angry all the same. I'm unable to wear the rosered glasses on this one. What did humans unleash onto this earth? What nightmare have I put myself into? Truly, anyone who doesn't care about this is unworthy of this beautiful planet they've been born into. It makes me wanna shout at humanity: "Just stop it! Just leave Earth alone! Just be gone already!". Really, when will this nightmare end?

[crazykat]

Why isn’t mainstream media covering this more? It is vital.

[timeenoughforart]

95% loss of Kelp forest off coast of California. 60% world wide loss of kelp. Invasive seaweeds just as problematic. An 800 mile long devastation of Atlantic coast of US. Similar issues in Caribbean, Hawaii, the whole damn ocean. The whole damn planet. We hear about it rarely, but listen to it even less. Thanks you what you do for the 12 regulars who tune in. (12 is a little sarcastic, I didn't get to see the Aurora and am bummed.)

[GregoryJWalters]

A tragic and sad situation the death of coral reefs. When will the needed Sacrifices be made for the childrens' sake?

[petrlonsky]

I bought few days ago wonderbag cooker... I am not refugee, or subsaharian, just man, who sees, that If I do not stop burn fossil fuels myself, no one else would do it for me. Hope to help me to reduce more my energy consumption. Take responsibility for situation in which we are and look for possibilities how live more sustainabily within this marvellous world, we are killing. Coral reefs really matters. Where would little Nemo and Dory live, now??? 😥🌍🕊

[leskuzyk]

About two decades ago now, at a climate conference, I first heard of our dying reefs. At 1C, all dead I heard. Now Peter says 1.5C. Same deal now. Why does anyone still speak of snorkelling, or diving or fishing the reefs. I did see the reefs ... my daughter never will. I've accepted the climate truth ... when will the global north?

[SamWilkinsonn]

We shouldn’t be recommending tourism.
Edit: you said we should try to see the reefs while we can, I think we should stop any and all frivolous travel

[coweatsman]

If the Great Barrier Reef dies then there goes Queensland's tourist industry with its biggest drawcard.

[EmeraldView]

I'd like to imagine that massive concerted global efforts could salvage things.

But... It seems a forgone conclusion that it's too late even if we were to do that (and doing that is still quite fanciful).

[johnkintree]

The existing structure of power works to protect special interests such as the fossil fuel industry. How close are we to building a global digital platform that can have conversations with millions of people at the same time, and build a shared world model for planning collective actions?