Last year the newlines were dominated by the mass coal bleaching event which left a large percentage of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral white and stripped of life. Aquatic ghosts and a figural canary.
At the time, scientists were calling on the government and general public to take heed. While the scientist were in tears, tourism operators were calling for calm and perspective, understandably worried about their livelihood. The environmental scientist warned that these events could become more and more common, by 2030 they could occur every second year. The reef needs at least five years to recover, but 15 – 20 years is a more accepted time frame. Bleaching events every second year could prove fatal to the reef.
This year, after the first aerial survey for 2017, it appears likely another mass bleaching event has occurred. This strikes icicles into my heart. It is entirely possible that my kids will never see the reef. It seems almost certain that my grandchildren won’t. The worried tourist operators could well run campaigns “See the reef while you still can.”
Climate change is occurring. Rapidly. The angry summer is proof of that. And yet the US has placed a climate change denier as the leader of the EPA (have a look at the change of tone of the US EPA Facebook site for some truly depressing reading). Our politicians think it’s a bit of a laugh to bring coal into parliament. It’s complete and utter madness when the people in charge bury their heads in the sand and the rest of the world has to cope with their incompetence. I can completely understand why scientists feel so frustrated.
I wonder if every generation feels the same sense of hopelessness over their children’s futures. My German great grandparents had the terrifying experience of bring up children in the midst of war. My grandparents watched the doomsday clock edge closer to midnight during the Cuban Missile Crisis and worried they would have to survive a nuclear winter (after surviving a childhood shaped by war). My own parents brought my sister and I up as the gulf war threatened every day on television.
When I visited my grandparents as a child, my Opa would let us know that a global crisis was coming (any day now) and none of us soft-bellied folk likely to survive. My Opa was such a pessimist that he would describe the water glass as poisoned rather than half empty. Yet despite the family oracle insisting life was terrible and about to get worse, my own insular life has been happy and protected.
The threats to normal life are on the fringes. Reports of war continue, their impact dulled by their constancy. So much information comes at us that’s it hard to know what to be afraid of. But changing climate, that seems a very real thing to me. The death of natural landmarks can’t be met with complacency – surely? Will technology somehow save our environment and humanity? Will the end of days once again be swerved? Is my worry unnecessary?
There is a documented tendency to believe that the world is getting worse, when it isn’t. So maybe I’m worried for nought. But, to be honest, that doesn’t sit right.
A trip to Cairns may be on radar sooner rather than later, so that my children see the beauty that they will have to work so hard to protect. Treading softly on the planet is something we talk about often. We try to do the right things but I feel like they are tiny, insignificant drops in a very large ocean. I worry that my children won’t just be guardians of the environment, they will have to be soldiers for it. I think this will be my children’s war – and I fear the odds are stacked against them.
Do you worry about this for your kids?
What do you think is the answer?
Such an interesting post, Robyna. Yes, I worry about this also. It is hard to believe that this is happening to our reef … and what can we do about it. I’ve not even seen the reef myself yet. I think we will definitely be making our way there sooner rather than later.
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I haven’t been in a while and I’m slightly terrified about what we might see.
Far worse than not seeing the reef, is the fact that something like 80% of our oxygen comes from under the water – those reefs are VITAL to our survival.
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They are. I just wish I felt like the people in charge were actually doing something about it.
We are hoping to see if next year. It chills me to the core that our reasoning involves the fact that it won’t be there much longer.
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It’s not good – I hate that it’s my reasoning too.
This is a topic of discussion in our household currently. My 17 year old daughter is creating her HSC textiles major work on this topic with side by side wall hangings of a healthy Great Barrier Reef and a dead Great Barrier Reef.
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What a fascinating and heart-breaking project.
Fascinating to think of the war vs natural disaster/ecosystem failing as a framing worry. Both are massive fears but also so different.
Unfortunately I think we have a lot less control over the natural disaster and failing eco-system. It will be harder to avoid the global consequences.
Yes it’s definitely something I’ve thought about when I’ve visited the reef myself before we had children. I snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef when I was 17 for schoolies. I took Jacob there 5 years later and the same reef looked different to what I remembered when I went there those years ago. We should be protecting this beautiful environment so future generations can enjoy it. I definitely want to take my girls up north when we can.
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I have found the same – that the reef had changed quite a bit between visits. 🙁
I think the answer is awareness and protection. Apparently there are parts of the reef that have recovered. We need to respect and protect this natural wonder of the world for everyone’s sake.
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Exactly – I just worry that another bleaching event will be seen as last year’s news and the awareness component will fade.
I hate to say it but I do agree. People keep saying ‘It’ll never happen’, about all sorts of things. But it’s all happened before and it will happen again – world war, climate change, mass extinction events. It’s a matter of when, not if. That’s not being pessimistic, it’s just the cycle of history. And it’s frightening.
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Completely frightening. Moreso that climate change in a lot of areas is happening quicker than scientist originally predicted and the politicians are still calling them extremists and liars. It’s so frustrating.
I’d like to think it won’t happen. That it’ll be saved (surely) before it really does disappear on us. Scares me though!! What if we’re too late? #teamIBOT
That’s what terrifies me as well.