Climate change damage to Great Barrier Reef

Australian scientists said that just seven percent of the Great Barrier Reef, which attracts around A$5 billion in tourism every year, has been untouched by mass bleaching that is likely to destroy half the coral.

Bleaching occurs when the water is too warm, forcing coral to expel living algae and causing it to calcify and turn white. Mildly bleached coral can recover if the temperature drops, otherwise it may die.

Although the impact has been exacerbated by El Nino, scientists believe climate change is the underlying cause.