A Message From The Great Barrier Reef

Climate crisisHuman rightsglobal warmingjournalismaustralia

Feb 27

In October of 2024, I was invited to take part in an incredible citizen science initiative to survey the health of the Great Barrier Reef. I love the ocean and all of its wild, weird and colourful creatures, so to say I was excited for this opportunity, would be an understatement.

The Great Barrier Reef is arguably Australia’s most famous natural wonder and spans 2,300 kilometers of the northeastern coast of Australia, making it the largest coral reef system in the world.

Home to over 1,600 species of fish, 6 of the 7 species of marine turtles, 450 varieties of hard corals, 1,000 species of soft corals, 30 species of whales and dolphins, a thriving population of dugongs, and 133 species of sharks and rays, it is one of the most biodiverse and complex ecosystems in the world.

Drawing approximately 2.9 million tourists every year, this ecological jewel is also a significant source of income for Australia’s tourism industry.

Our itinerary would take us to the southernmost edges of the reef, The Capricorn Bunker Group, where we would survey North, East, South and West of as many reefs as possible. Along the way we would be collecting reconnaissance images to then submit to a census database where our images would be analysed by other citizen scientists for bleaching, cyclone impacts, and crown-of-thorn starfish. The information gathered from our surveys would then inform future conservation and restoration efforts for the reef.

We were the first crew to do a major survey of this portion of the reef since the last large bleaching event had been announced on the Great Barrier Reef in March of 2024, so none of us knew in what state we were going to find the reef.

The waters were spectacular, the most vivid turquoise you can imagine. And we were visited by dolphins, manta rays, turtles, and even a few cheeky sharks.

However, life under the sea’s surface revealed a truth none of us could deny.

Survey site after survey site revealed that the Capricorn Bunker Group had, on the whole, not been able to recover since the bleaching event in March of 2024.

During our surveys we documented ongoing coral bleaching despite it being winter and a mass mortality of the coral reefs across the Capricorn Bunker Group.

The scenes were shocking and on more occasions than I can count, I found myself crying into my snorkel and mask, as I witnessed how climate change was impacting this once spectacular ecosystem in real time.

This famous natural wonder. A UNESCO listed World Heritage site. Irreplaceable habitat for thousands of plants and animals. And this spectacular destination that Australia advertises and markets to the rest of the world. How could this happen to a place that seemed so universally valued?

I spoke to a group who had surveyed the reefs in far North Queensland and was heartened to hear that they had documented a myriad of healthy and thriving reefs, including a number of mother reefs – which can help reseed other damaged reefs.

It’s possible that because the southern reefs we visited have historically been sheltered from the impacts of bleaching, they were less resilient in the face of an extreme bout of warmth and as such, couldn’t survive.

There is a chance that in time the Capricorn Bunker Group could recover, but the damage that we witnessed was substantial. It would take many, many years for the Capricorn Bunker reefs to regenerate given the damage we documented. It’s recovery would depend on water temperatures stabilising, the water remaining clean, and enough healthy coral larvae returning to bring this ecosystem back to life.

So, how exactly is climate change related to ocean temperatures?

Research has shown that over 90% of the excess heat caused by climate change in Australia is absorbed by the ocean, with sea surface temperatures around the continent warming by approximately one degree Celsius since 1910. The most significant warming has occurred in recent decades and this warming is directly linked to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Mass bleaching on the Capricorn Bunker Reefs | October 2024

What is a coral bleaching event and how do rising ocean temperatures cause them?

Bleaching occurs when corals are under stress and a primary cause of stress is when ocean temperatures get too high. A temperature increase of just one degree Celsius for only four weeks can trigger a bleaching event.

When corals are stressed, they expel the zooxanthellae that live inside their tissues and keep them alive. Without this algae to provide colour, corals appear transparent and reveal their white skeletons. This is called coral bleaching. Bleached corals are not dead, but are more at risk of starvation and disease.

If this is prolonged, and the zooxanthellae don’t return to the corals, the coral will starve and the corals begin to die.

I acknowledge it’s a really tricky predicament we are in. When news like this is shared about the reef, it can feel incredibly overwhelming or depressing. And as someone who personally struggles with eco-anxiety I know viscerally just how challenging this kind of news can be. However, I do believe that truth can be a catalyst for action and restoration. What we know is that the reef is experiencing the impacts of climate change in real time. The impacts are nuanced based of the tides, temperature as well as resilience of those coral systems.

All is not lost for the reef, but the moment is now to upscale conservation efforts and drastically reduce our emissions.

Feeling inspired to take action for the reef?

Here are three ways you can help the Great Barrier Reef:

One: Get involved with a reef conservation organisation. There are so many amazing people doing incredible work for the reef, from citizen science projects, to coral restoration and coral nurseries, all fightnig to protect and conserve this extraordinary ecosystem.

Two: If you live in Australia, we have a very important Federal election coming up this year. I encourage you to vote for representatives who are committed to taking meaningful action to reducing our emissions. Choose representatives who are taking climate action seriously and have a track record of protecting nature.

Three: Plan a trip into the wilderness. Maybe it’s to the reef, or maybe it’s to your local river or forest. Spend the afternoon basking in nature’s splendor and let yourself be reminded of the immense generosity, beauty and restorative powers of the natural world.

We are nothing without it, but everything with it.