While the nations of the world ignore the most important issue facing the earth, that of climate change, the natural environment is being murdered every minute.
The Great Barrier Reef is being bleached to death. The change in water temperature and the increased ocean pollution have pushed the corals to eject the algae that live on them, leaving them white and incredibly vulnerable to diseases. The “bleaching” of the coral is directly linked to climate change and poor management of waste. In other words, we humans are largely responsible for this tragedy, so it’s only fair that we fix the damage we have caused.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with about 400 types of coral and 1,500 species of fish. It is also home to a number of endangered species, including the large green turtle and the dugong.
The Australian government is investing $375 million in protecting the Great Barrier Reef. But this should not be construed as altruism. Their economy benefits $4.81 billion and 64,000 jobs in the country are dependent on the health of the reefs. And yet, this investment may not be enough to save this natural treasure.
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Despite the huge investment, there is no money targeted towards the main culprit behind the bleaching of the corals. There is no investment towards countering climate change. The government of Australia has not acknowledged that the death of half of the coral reefs is the immediate results of a warmer ocean, which in its turn is due to exceedingly high greenhouse gas emissions.
The treatment and neglect of the Great Barrier Reef is symptomatic of the danger to the world’s environment. While there have been attempts to protect the environment, like banning of plastic, reforestation and reviving endangered species, yet, the death of the last male white rhino, melting polar ice caps, and the rising temperatures every year are another reminder that we are losing precious time, and may soon reach a point of no return where it will be too late to save the planet as we know it.
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