Wildlife

Great Barrier Reef Outlook now ‘Very Poor”

The Great Barrier Reef’s long-term outlook has been dropped from “poor” to “very poor” in a new report that calls for urgent action on climate change and other threats to the natural wonder.

Rising sea temperatures and marine heat waves are doing the most damage to the reef’s health, according to the report written by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Josh Thomas, the group’s CEO, called this a “critical” point in the reef’s history, saying its future depends on action taken now. If nothing is done to stop the current rate of global warming, the reef will be irreparably damaged for future generations. The finding comes from an analysis of data from scientific institutions, research centres, industry and government agencies – and is the culmination of two years of expert workshops.