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The first coral reef ecosystems formed more than 200 million years ago (CO2 level was 5-10x higher than today). Each particular coral reef can last up to 5,000

The first coral reef ecosystems formed more than 200 million years ago (CO2 level was 5-10x higher than today). Each particular coral reef can last up to 5,000 years, possibly longer. Since these biological ecosystems have persisted and evolved through enormous planet-wide changes, from snowball Earth to much hotter climates and even through mass-extinction events -- I'm not worried about their long-term survival, nor should you be.

airza 7y ago
Unfortunately the incredible diversity of animals that live in that reef will not be so lucky.
asteli 7y ago
250 million years ago, the Permian-Triassic extinction killed off 96% of marine species. The planet bounced back (eventually). Took between a couple million and a few tens of millions of years to recover. The North Korea/South Korea demilitarized zone is a wildlife refuge. Native species have thrived in the area around the Chernobyl disaster after people peaced out. The Earth will soldier on. We still have to deal with sea level rise, anthropogenic climate change, coral destruction, deforestation, because we have to deal with the effects. First-order effect of coral destruction is loss of habitat for fish, leading to collapse of marine species that use that habitat, leading to collapse of certain kinds of commercial fishing, leading to loss of livelihood and a food source for coastal communities.
- kiliantics 7y ago
  And the first people to be hit hardest by the destruction of marine ecosystems will be the poorest people on earth who depend on fishing for survival. The HN community will be largely unaffected till many millions have died so it is easy for people to have views like the GP comment if they lack empathy for the less fortunate. Now is not a time for flippant comments about the robustness of life and nature "in general". Now is a time for very radical and drastic action to prevent even worse outcomes than the terrors which humans who are alive now are already guaranteed to face.
  - ThomPete 7y ago
    And the best way to arm the poorest so they can deal with the consequences is to give them access to cheap reliable energy.
dmlorenzetti 7y ago
Since these ... ecosystems have persisted and evolved through enormous planet-wide changes ... I'm not worried If the time scale of climate change matched the time scale of coral evolution, then your comforting thought might hold water. Unfortunately, our climate is changing faster than many evolutionary processes can keep up with. Rates of change can matter. Just because you can safely walk down 30 flights of steps, doesn't mean you can safely jump off the roof of a 30-story building.
- akvadrako 7y ago
  It isn't true that current rates of change are greater than natural fluctuations. During the Younger Dryas average global temperatures changed 2-6 C over a few decades and 1000 years later, changed back. That's just the most recent and reliable example - we don't have the ability to measure such changes far into the past.

airza 7y ago

Unfortunately the incredible diversity of animals that live in that reef will not be so lucky.

asteli 7y ago

250 million years ago, the Permian-Triassic extinction killed off 96% of marine species. The planet bounced back (eventually). Took between a couple million and a few tens of millions of years to recover. The North Korea/South Korea demilitarized zone is a wildlife refuge. Native species have thrived in the area around the Chernobyl disaster after people peaced out. The Earth will soldier on. We still have to deal with sea level rise, anthropogenic climate change, coral destruction, deforestation, because we have to deal with the effects. First-order effect of coral destruction is loss of habitat for fish, leading to collapse of marine species that use that habitat, leading to collapse of certain kinds of commercial fishing, leading to loss of livelihood and a food source for coastal communities.

kiliantics 7y ago
And the first people to be hit hardest by the destruction of marine ecosystems will be the poorest people on earth who depend on fishing for survival. The HN community will be largely unaffected till many millions have died so it is easy for people to have views like the GP comment if they lack empathy for the less fortunate. Now is not a time for flippant comments about the robustness of life and nature "in general". Now is a time for very radical and drastic action to prevent even worse outcomes than the terrors which humans who are alive now are already guaranteed to face.
- ThomPete 7y ago
  And the best way to arm the poorest so they can deal with the consequences is to give them access to cheap reliable energy.

dmlorenzetti 7y ago

Since these ... ecosystems have persisted and evolved through enormous planet-wide changes ... I'm not worried If the time scale of climate change matched the time scale of coral evolution, then your comforting thought might hold water. Unfortunately, our climate is changing faster than many evolutionary processes can keep up with. Rates of change can matter. Just because you can safely walk down 30 flights of steps, doesn't mean you can safely jump off the roof of a 30-story building.

akvadrako 7y ago
It isn't true that current rates of change are greater than natural fluctuations. During the Younger Dryas average global temperatures changed 2-6 C over a few decades and 1000 years later, changed back. That's just the most recent and reliable example - we don't have the ability to measure such changes far into the past.