It is clear that despite management efforts at local, regional and national levels, a significant number of threats to the reef are getting worse.
The most publicized main threats relate to climate change and poor water quality, and are unquestionably the most damaging.
However, many of the 45 threats are not well known or understood. All but two are happening now—and most are steadily getting worse. Collectively, it means the Great Barrier Reef is heading for a"death by a thousand cuts."The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority produced the 2019 Outlook Report, required by law every five years. It shows the total number of threats has increased from 41 in 2014 to 45 now.
The new threats include the loss of cultural knowledge, especially by the Indigenous traditional owners, and the potential negative impacts of genetic modification which are not well understood but could occur when modified organisms are released into the wild. The table below shows the most alarming 21 risks to the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem. It is becoming clear that many of the risks are serious, and the situation is getting worse.Author provided/The ConversationThe likelihood and consequences of many lesser known threats are increasing.
The ten threats leading to"very high" risks are of greatest concern, especially as all are considered"almost certain" to occur. They include:from continued urban and industrial development. Vegetation clearing damages important ecosystem services for many marine species.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump is making uncertainty great againThe president’s free-wheeling approach and rapid-fire tweets are driving up anxiety in key corners of the economy.
Read more »
This Easy, One-Pot Cast-Iron Dish Is Great for Dinner PartiesEater Young Gun Jeremy Hoffman borrows from a traditional New Year’s feast for his go-to dinner-party meal
Read more »
Trump (falsely) thinks he's found proof of Obama failing to be 'great'Obama didn't hand Trump dozens of judicial vacancies, including a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court; Mitch McConnell did.
Read more »
This is what it's actually like to go on the Great British Bake Off'You're being interviewed about eight times a day, so they capture every emotion'
Read more »