The Great Barrier Reef will become functionally extinct in less than 20 years if global warming cont

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21141105-5003402,00.html

January 30, 2007

Fears for Great Barrier Reef

THE Great Barrier Reef will become functionally extinct in less than

20 years if global warming continues at its current pace, a draft

international report warns.

A confidential draft of the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC), obtained by The Age, says that global warming

will cause billions of dollars of damage to coastal areas, key

ecosystems and the farming sector without massive greenhouse gas

emission cuts.

In a chapter on Australia, the draft IPCC climate impacts report warns

that coral bleaching in the Barrier Reef is likely to occur annually

by 2030 because of warmer, more acidic seas.

The reef is one of several iconic areas of Australia identified in the

report as key hot spots for climate vulnerability.

Others include the Kakadu National Park's wetlands, the Murray-Darling

Basin and alpine zones in southern Australia.

Australian Conservation Foundation executive director Don Henry said

the report was a big wake-up call.

"They are saying our beloved Barrier Reef is at grave risk," Mr Henry

said on Sky News.

"We've got a major economic and environmental problem unless we heed

the call of these scientists.

"I think the science is getting clearer about how just how serious and

urgent it is."

__________________________________________________

Harry

On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 02:26:54 GMT, Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>

wrote:

>http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21141105-5003402,00.html

>

>January 30, 2007

>

>Fears for Great Barrier Reef

>

>

>THE Great Barrier Reef will become functionally extinct in less than

>20 years if global warming continues at its current pace, a draft

>international report warns.

Good. Then maybe people will take it seriously. And what about

the "environmentalist" morons who fight over the last of 100 major

wetland areas, and don't ever think of demanding half of the ones back

that should never have been filled in in the first place?

>

>A confidential draft of the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on

>Climate Change (IPCC), obtained by The Age, says that global warming

>will cause billions of dollars of damage to coastal areas, key

>ecosystems and the farming sector without massive greenhouse gas

>emission cuts.

>

>In a chapter on Australia, the draft IPCC climate impacts report warns

>that coral bleaching in the Barrier Reef is likely to occur annually

>by 2030 because of warmer, more acidic seas.

>

>The reef is one of several iconic areas of Australia identified in the

>report as key hot spots for climate vulnerability.

>

>Others include the Kakadu National Park's wetlands, the Murray-Darling

>Basin and alpine zones in southern Australia.

>

>Australian Conservation Foundation executive director Don Henry said

>the report was a big wake-up call.

>

>"They are saying our beloved Barrier Reef is at grave risk," Mr Henry

>said on Sky News.

>

>"We've got a major economic and environmental problem unless we heed

>the call of these scientists.

>

>"I think the science is getting clearer about how just how serious and

>urgent it is."

>

> __________________________________________________

>

>Harry