A post summer check up of the Great Barrier Reef has revealed low level coral bleaching at some locations and signs of minor stress from wet season flooding.

The low to moderate coral bleaching was found in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef and some bleaching occurred in the northern and southern regions. The floodwater impact was described by Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) as low.

GBRMPA's Climate Change Director Paul Marshall said it was a reminder of the importance of building the Reef's health so it can withstand these pressures.

"This summer was a milder one for the Great Barrier Reef compared to the extreme weather of last year, but climate change continues to be the greatest threat to coral reefs worldwide," he said.

"The events of last summer showed us that coral, seagrass and wildlife such as turtles and dugong are vulnerable to extreme weather.

"A range of climate change projections suggest the intensity of these types of events will increase."

Over this summer scientists, researchers and industry partners contributed over 190 reef health surveys at 43 reefs in the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem as part of our Eye on the Reef program.

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Their monitoring found small, isolated areas of bleaching at a few locations, but no reefs were seriously affected.

Monitoring also found juvenile and adult crown-of-thorns starfish and patchy coral damage from anchoring.

"There will be ongoing monitoring to keep an eye out for further changes," Dr Marshall said.

Sea temperatures and rainfalls rose above average monthly levels throughout most of the Great Barrier Reef during February and early March, but didn’t get high enough to cause serious problems.

Localised heavy rainfalls resulted in isolated flood plumes entering Reef waters, but the impact was low compared to the extensive flooding of last summer.

Surveys will also be undertaken over the next few months to assess whether there are signs of recovery for reefs affected by extreme weather last year.

While this guide to important environmental issues is not comprehensive, if you’re new to green or simply want a refresher overview, this list neatly summarizes some of our most pressing environmental concerns … some of which cannot be solved simply via creative upcycling or small-space living.

In Greenland Ice is melting fast. New Studies find temperatures rising.

Special conservation zones known as marine protected areas provide many direct benefits to fisheries and coral reefs. However, such zones appear to offer limited help to corals in their battle against global warming, according to a new study.

It's been obvious for some time now that the Obama administration's promises to fight global warming are in mothballs. But it's still shocking to see Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attack the 27 European countries that are actually trying to do something about the greatest environmental challenge of our time.

IS INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE COOKING THE PLANET?

DID YOU KNOW that our food system is a major contributor to global warming? The U.S. food system uses between 17-19% of the total energy supply in the country, (1)(2)(3)(4) contributing a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere everyday.

How is this possible? Greenhouse gases are generated in many ways and many are created even before our food is grown.

On large-scale, modernized industrial farms (which traditionally grow only one or two crops—called monoculture—that rely heavily on pesticides, fertilizers, and fossil fuels), greenhouse gases are created in a multitude of ways. Pesticide and fertilizer applications, irrigation, lighting, transportation, and other machinery are powered by greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels. The production of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides alone require the equivalent use of over 123 million barrels of oil, making them one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture.

The overuse of agricultural chemicals pollutes watersheds and kills plants that could otherwise capture greenhouse gases and actually reduce global warming. As the plants decompose they emit methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. (6)(7)(8)(9) Methane is also emitted by the 95 million cows raised each year in the United States. The waste from these animals, and 60 million hogs raised every year,x are collected and stored in stagnant manure pits which release not only a pungent smell, but more methane.

Once our food is grown it is transported throughout the country to grocery stores and markets. The average American meal has traveled about 1,500 miles before it arrives on your plate.xi All told, the U.S food system uses the equivalent of over 450 billion gallons of oil every year.(11)

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO: REDUCING YOUR CARBON FOODPRINT

You can have a major influence on global warming by making better food choices, and reducing your “FoodPrint.”xiii Your “FoodPrint” reflects the amount of greenhouse gases that were created in the production and shipping of the food that you buy. The “Coolest” foods have the lowest FoodPrint and are made without producing excess greenhouse gases. When foods that produce higher FoodPrints—those considered “Hot”—are avoided, we reduce our individual contributions to global warming. An easy way to tell if your food is “Cool” or “Hot” is to ask yourself these 5 basic questions before you buy. 

Weather isn’t the same thing as climate. Just because it’s sunny or chilly on a given day doesn’t tell us all that much about long-term temperature trends. Even so, plenty of research suggests that local weather does heavily influence how people think about climate change. Back in 2009, survey data from Patrick Egan and Megan Mullin found that Americans were more likely to agree that there was “solid evidence” of climate change on hotter-than-average days. And now Justin Wolfers points to a fascinating recent paper with similar findings.

Global warming has brought a new normal to the Arctic, with warmer air and ocean temperatures, thinner and less expansive summer sea ice, and greener vegetation in coastal regions abutting the open water.

A carbon tax bill is introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.