4 ms·

What has coal got to do with reefs?

by callamdelaney 5y ago

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
ggm 5y ago
Direct pollution at coal loading sites. Indirect pollution from coal waste, run-off and AGW effects
jorge-d 5y ago
This coal is shipped abroad so they build deep water ports near the reefs [1] [1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/01/-sp-great-barrier-reef-and-coal-mine-could-kill-it https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/01/-sp-grea...
ivanvanderbyl 5y ago
One of the largest coal ports (Abbott Point Port) is right in the middle of the coast bordered by the reef, which is currently approved for expansion.
- wombatmobile 5y ago
  Coal ship grounding on Great Barrier Reef blamed on fatigue https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/apr/14/coal-ship-barrier-reef-fatigue https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/apr/14/coal-shi...
nomercy400 5y ago
From what I understand: Coal produces lots of CO2. CO2 is part of the global warming. Global warming also raises the temperature in the Great Barrier Reef. The GBR cannot handle the sudden temperature increase and dies off. Or it is the massive tourism with all the boats and people touching and contaminating the reef.
- doikor 5y ago
  Also CO2 absorbs into the oceans and makes them more acidic. This prevents corals from growing properly. https://www.whoi.edu/press-room/news-release/scientists-identify-how-ocean-acidification-weakens-coral-skeletons/ https://www.whoi.edu/press-room/news-release/scientists-iden...
- rob74 5y ago
  If it's as responsibly managed as Australia claims, I guess a sizable part of the reef is off limits to tourists, so it should be easy to find out if there is significantly more damage in areas where diving is allowed?
  - femto 5y ago
    Typically there is less damage in the areas where tourists dive. As the reef experiences more bleaching events and dies, the tourism operators cherry pick the parts that aren't bleached. The reef has pretty well had it due to climate change. It's only a matter of time, so better management of local effects such as runoff from land will delay the death, not avoid it. [1] Apart from the climate change denying Federal Government [2], the opposition is being driven by tourist operators, who are afraid that people will write the reef off as not worth seeing [3]. Maybe they should be running a huge "Last Chance to See" campaign? [1] https://ecos.csiro.au/coral-reefs-need-cooler-water/ https://ecos.csiro.au/coral-reefs-need-cooler-water/ [2] https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/barnaby-joyce-sets-up-climate-change-policy-clash-after-reclaiming-leadership-20210621-p582ze.html https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/barnaby-joyce-sets-u... [3] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-22/great-barrier-reef-tourism-operators-upset-unesco-in-danger-list/100233860 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-22/great-barrier-reef-to...
    - fruityrudy 5y ago
      How does [2] evidence “climate denying”. They just want to protect rural jobs. Australia is not a leader. They represent a tiny fraction of CO2 emissions and it doesn’t make sense to tank the economy if the big emitters like China don’t actually take action.

What has coal got to do with reefs?

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

ggm 5y ago

Direct pollution at coal loading sites. Indirect pollution from coal waste, run-off and AGW effects

jorge-d 5y ago

This coal is shipped abroad so they build deep water ports near the reefs [1] [1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/01/-sp-great-barrier-reef-and-coal-mine-could-kill-it https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/01/-sp-grea...

ivanvanderbyl 5y ago

One of the largest coal ports (Abbott Point Port) is right in the middle of the coast bordered by the reef, which is currently approved for expansion.

wombatmobile 5y ago
Coal ship grounding on Great Barrier Reef blamed on fatigue https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/apr/14/coal-ship-barrier-reef-fatigue https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/apr/14/coal-shi...

nomercy400 5y ago

From what I understand: Coal produces lots of CO2. CO2 is part of the global warming. Global warming also raises the temperature in the Great Barrier Reef. The GBR cannot handle the sudden temperature increase and dies off. Or it is the massive tourism with all the boats and people touching and contaminating the reef.

doikor 5y ago
Also CO2 absorbs into the oceans and makes them more acidic. This prevents corals from growing properly. https://www.whoi.edu/press-room/news-release/scientists-identify-how-ocean-acidification-weakens-coral-skeletons/ https://www.whoi.edu/press-room/news-release/scientists-iden...
rob74 5y ago
If it's as responsibly managed as Australia claims, I guess a sizable part of the reef is off limits to tourists, so it should be easy to find out if there is significantly more damage in areas where diving is allowed?
- femto 5y ago
  Typically there is less damage in the areas where tourists dive. As the reef experiences more bleaching events and dies, the tourism operators cherry pick the parts that aren't bleached. The reef has pretty well had it due to climate change. It's only a matter of time, so better management of local effects such as runoff from land will delay the death, not avoid it. [1] Apart from the climate change denying Federal Government [2], the opposition is being driven by tourist operators, who are afraid that people will write the reef off as not worth seeing [3]. Maybe they should be running a huge "Last Chance to See" campaign? [1] https://ecos.csiro.au/coral-reefs-need-cooler-water/ https://ecos.csiro.au/coral-reefs-need-cooler-water/ [2] https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/barnaby-joyce-sets-up-climate-change-policy-clash-after-reclaiming-leadership-20210621-p582ze.html https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/barnaby-joyce-sets-u... [3] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-22/great-barrier-reef-tourism-operators-upset-unesco-in-danger-list/100233860 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-22/great-barrier-reef-to...
  - fruityrudy 5y ago
    How does [2] evidence “climate denying”. They just want to protect rural jobs. Australia is not a leader. They represent a tiny fraction of CO2 emissions and it doesn’t make sense to tank the economy if the big emitters like China don’t actually take action.