Great Barrier Reef: Gone by 2050?

Could the Great Barrier Reef disappear?  Could it become a vast wasteland?

Snorklers and scuba divers beware.  In a new article by Reuters, Australian scientists explain that not only is the Great Barrier Reef at grave risk but all the world’s great reefs.

From Reuters – 2/2/2007

“Coral bleaching caused by rising temperatures has struck many reefs around the world, hitting the Indian Ocean, parts of the Caribbean and off Australia. It occurs when corals living at the edge of their temperature tolerance expel the tiny animals that live inside, turning colorless and exposing their calcium skeletons inside… Death follows unless the water soon cools. Global warming bringing temperature rises of between 2 to 3 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 4.8 Fahrenheit) makes future salvation less likely.”

“The actual trajectory we’ve seen in the arctic over the last two years if you follow that, that implies that the arctic ice cap will be gone in the next 5 to 15 years,” [Australian Scientist] Flannery told Australian radio. “There’s a 10 per cent chance of truly catastrophic rises in temperatures.”

What’s not explored in the article is the actual impact on ocean life as a whole if the reefs begin to die.  We already know that massive “dead zones” (see related article) in the world are on the rise.  Will more ocean life die as a result of the death of the reefs or simply from the rising ocean temperatures?  Will we somehow be spared?

Grim thoughts indeed, but this is perphaps one more indicator that the end is coming very soon.  Are you ready for the end?  Do you have a right relationship with God?   Have you decided to become a follower of Jesus?  It’s not too late!  Find out more here:  http://www.billygraham.com/SH_StepsToPeace.asp

Full Story about the Great Barrier Reef:  http://www.iht.com/bin/print.php?id=4443933