Photo: ctenophore
Climate change specialists resign themselves to the possibility that it may be too late to save our reefs.
Well, this is a depressing way to start your Thursday.
As if the news of glacial melt and polar bear deaths wasn’t enough to make you want to crawl into a hole until the environmental apocalypse has come and gone, here’s a stunner:
Scientists now believe that coral reef destruction is so accelerated that it’s impossible to save these living underwater ecosystems.
According to this article from the BBC, the only intervention believed viable at this point is to collect reef samples and freeze them for posterity. Should we get our act together on climate change and help restabilize the oceans’ temperatures, then, the reasoning goes, the cryogenized coral can be reintroduced to sea beds.
All the more reason why the world’s superpowers need to start walking the walk on climate change at next month’s Copenhagen summit.
Community Connection:
Members of the Matador community are active in coral reef protection and restoration. Check out the organizational profile of the Reef Doctor, an environmental conservation and activist group based in Madagascar that’s dedicated to conserving coral reefs through local education and community-based environmental projects.
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5 Comments... join the discussion!
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When I Stumble something that I’m not happy about, I write a little disclaimer in the review part. Some bad news needs to get out!
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This seems like a dangerous statement–an excuse for people to say, “Well, the reefs are doomed anyway, let’s ramp up the dynamite fishing.”
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That is really scary! I agree with Hal, mind. There is so much bad news, that people tend to think screw it, everything is doomed anyway, so let’s not bother to do anything. I’m sure we’ve all got trapped in conversations like this, and it’s hard to find a way out.
Here’s my way: it’s precisely when all is doomed that we must step up, and create the space for a bit of divine intervention (however you want to interpret that). Even if our efforts amount to nothing, that’s not the point – it is the right thing to do. It’s that simple.
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Wow, this is terrifying news, but oh so important to read. Life isn’t all sunshine & roses. Thanks for posting this.
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