- The Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia
will be largely destroyed by 2050 because of rising sea temperatures, according
to a new report.
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- Researchers from Queensland University's Centre for Marine
Studies said there was little evidence that corals could adapt quickly
enough to cope with even the lowest projected temperature rise of 2C.
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- Over-fishing and water pollution were also contributing
to the destruction of coral on the reef.
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- The new study predicts that within about 15 years the
Barrier Reef tourist and fishing industries will lose thousands of millions
of dollars and many thousands of people will be forced out of work.
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- By the middle of this century, less than 5% of the reef
coral will remain alive.
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- Most of the colourful fish for which the reef is also
famous will disappear.
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- Entitled "Implications of Climate Change for Australia's
Great Barrier Reef", the study was commissioned by the Worldwide Fund
for Nature, and was paid for in part by the Australian government.
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- Stressed coral
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- "Under the worst-case scenario, coral populations
will collapse by 2100 and the re-establishment of coral reefs will be highly
unlikely over the following 200-500 years," it said.
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- Coral becomes highly stressed by changes in sea temperature
of even one degree and the predicted temperatures along the reef will rise
by up to six degrees by the end of the century.
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- "Reefs will not disappear but they will be devoid
of coral and dominated by other less appealing species, such as seaweed,"
the report said.
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- The Great Barrier Reef injects an estimated $975m into
the economy each year through tourism and fishing.
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- GREAT BARRIER REEF More than 2,000 km long Home to 1,500
types of fish Only living thing the naked eye can see from space
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- © BBC MMIV
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3509383.stm
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