Published on 19 April 2024
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is undergoing an extreme bleaching event induced by climate change. A report from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority highlights an increase in cumulative impacts on the reef this summer. According to the report, after a survey of 1,080 reefs, 39% of them were found to be affected by very high or extreme levels of bleaching, with southern reefs recording the highest levels of heat stress. The Great Barrier Reef covers an area the size of Italy and encompasses nearly 3,000 individual reefs.
The coral atolls off the coast of Queensland, one of the worst affected areas, are visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 3 April.
Click here to view the image in full resolution.
Copernicus Sentinel satellite open data supports the assessment and monitoring of coral reef health around the world. Additionally, Copernicus Marine Service data allows for the comprehensive monitoring of sea surface temperature, providing valuable insights into the changing thermal conditions of the world's oceans and their effects on marine ecosystems.
Source:
Copernicus. (2024, April 18). Extreme bleaching event in the Great Barrier Reef. Copernicus Image of the Day.