If you were wondering what that odd smell is in the air, it's because 2008 is the International Year of the Reefer. Oh, wait, we read that wrong. The reef -- it's the International Year of the Reef. Ahem. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) says that warming seas and increased hurricanes affected more than half of Caribbean coral reefs in 2005 -- a devastation likely to become a regular event. To better understand our coral compatriots, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is sending scuba divers and underwater robots to Bonaire, an island in the Netherlands Antilles, to study previously unexplored deepwater reefs. But we kind of already know what needs to be done, says the head of the IUCN's global marine program: "If we don't do something about climate change, the reefs won't be with us for much longer." Lest you think that wouldn't be a big deal, note that reefs are natural storm barriers and support an estimated 25 percent of all marine life.
sources:
source: Associated Press, MSNBC, Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation
see also, in Grist:Coral reefs suffer from proximity to humans, says study
U.S. warns China against ‘stillborn’ climate deal
U.N. climate chief raises the temperature with racy novel
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stopgreenpath Posted 2:29 pm
25 Jan 2008
the socialization of costs of consumption in the form of killing the planet (and enslaving its inhabitants) while the privatization of all the profits derived has got to stop now. we are at a crossroads, so let's go beyond the ill-conceived knee-jerk, corporate-sponsored solution and start thinking rationally. the answer is obvious - from now on, only previously developed land may be used to generate and/or transmit (only renewable) power, so make it close to (at) home and use it sparingly. the rest will fall into place.
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