Fifth of world's coral reefs dead, say marine scientists: Climate change linked …

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/10/road-to-copenhagen-poznan

Fifth of world's coral reefs dead, say marine scientists

Climate change linked to warmer and more acidic seas pose biggest threat to coral survival, says report

David Adam, environment correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday December 10 2008 17.00 GMT

A fifth of the world's coral reefs have died or been destroyed and the remainder are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, a new study says.

The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network says many surviving reefs could be lost over the coming decades as CO2 emissions continue to increase.

"If nothing is done to substantially cut emissions, we could effectively lose coral reefs as we know them, with major coral extinctions," said Clive Wilkinson of the GCRMN.

The report, released today at UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland, said warmer and more acidic seas posed the biggest threat in future. Other threats include overfishing, pollution and invasive species – as well as natural hazards, such as the earthquake that triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, which forced reefs from the water.

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[Double T]

1. This report must be the work of communist liberal progressives.

Everyone knows there is no such thing as pollution, climate change or overpopulation.

[GliderGuider]

2. Every time I turn around, the pessimists are being shown to have been too optimistic.

Anyone else think The Crash is underway?

[hatrack]

3. Only one thing can save them - MORE TAX CUTS!!!!

The Parable of the Burning House never seemed more appropriate.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. I suppose you may be right

But somehow, I fear tax cuts may not be able to solve this particular problem.

[hatrack]

5. Darn it! I should have said tax cuts combined with complete deregulation of polluting industries!

We'll just let the Invisible Hand ("Genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!") take care of this.

My bad!

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. Much better strategy

I think you may be on to something now.

[Dead_Parrot]

7. And more studies, of course.

We wouldn't want to rush into anything, would we? Let's do some more research...

[OKIsItJustMe]

8. I don't see where that's necessary

Besides, studies are expensive.

I (for one) don't need any studies to draw a conclusion. This morning, my car was covered in ice, therefore there is no such thing as Global Warming.

"Next!"