Scientists have confirmed mass bleaching on the great barrier reef in 2016 has caused irreversible damage, radically altering the ecosystem.
A report released on Wednesday says nearly one-third of the reef’s coral was killed when ocean temperatures spiked as a result of global warming.
Experts warn that if greenhouse gas emissions continue on their current trajectory, the reef will be unrecognizable, threatening not only the lives of thousands of species but the tourism industry in Queensland as well.