How Climate Change Is Impacting Coral Reefs
Almost all of our coral reefs are going to disappear within the next 20 years if we don’t make serious changes now. Climate change is the leading cause of coral bleaching which ultimately leads to coral death. Coral bleaching is when a coral reef loses all of its color — which usually varies from green to brown, or even blue, purple, or red — and turns white. Coral reefs’ vibrant colors come from an alga called zooxanthellae that lives within the coral’s tissues. Coral bleaching occurs as a result of warmer temperatures which cause coral to force out the algae. This loss of algae causes the coral to turn completely white. This issue is important because coral bleaching is often irreversible and at the current rate that coral reefs are dying, most of the ocean’s reefs will be gone in 20 years, with the Great Barrier Reef possibly disappearing by 2050. Other factors that contribute to coral bleaching are land-based pollution, as well as an ingredient called oxybenzone that is found in chemical sunscreens. The best way to combat the effects of sunscreen on coral reefs is to wear mineral sunscreen or oxybenzone-free sunscreen, both of which have been proven to be safer for the environment than chemical sunscreens. However, if we really want to save our reefs, we need to solve the root of the problem, which is global warming.
Written by: Cheyenne Cuellar (Youth Climate Action Team)
