Coral Bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef | Years of Living Dangerously

this year is the warmest on record and

this year is the warmest on record and with ocean temperatures reaching

with ocean temperatures reaching

with ocean temperatures reaching dangerously high levels a major coral

dangerously high levels a major coral

dangerously high levels a major coral bleaching event is predicted to hit the

bleaching event is predicted to hit the

bleaching event is predicted to hit the Great Barrier Reef it’s a race against

Great Barrier Reef it’s a race against

Great Barrier Reef it’s a race against time to document these reefs before

time to document these reefs before

time to document these reefs before climate change alters conditions here

the XL Catlin Seaview survey uses

the XL Catlin Seaview survey uses cameras to take high numbers of 360

cameras to take high numbers of 360

cameras to take high numbers of 360 degree photographs of the bottom of the

degree photographs of the bottom of the

degree photographs of the bottom of the sea

sea

sea effectively mapping the seafloor like

effectively mapping the seafloor like

effectively mapping the seafloor like Google Streetview Maps land with this

Google Streetview Maps land with this

Google Streetview Maps land with this technology scientists are able to

technology scientists are able to

technology scientists are able to establish a baseline for the coral reefs

establish a baseline for the coral reefs

establish a baseline for the coral reefs so that after a bleaching event they can

so that after a bleaching event they can

so that after a bleaching event they can figure out how much was actually lost

it’s part of the largest visual

it’s part of the largest visual stocktake of corals on the planet ever

stocktake of corals on the planet ever

stocktake of corals on the planet ever done

and after today’s dodds I’m actually

and after today’s dodds I’m actually feeling hopeful

feeling hopeful

feeling hopeful the reefs here are thriving but then I

the reefs here are thriving but then I

the reefs here are thriving but then I learned my optimism may be misplaced Oh

learned my optimism may be misplaced Oh

learned my optimism may be misplaced Oh has footage from other reefs around the

has footage from other reefs around the

has footage from other reefs around the world and he says what’s happening there

world and he says what’s happening there

world and he says what’s happening there will eventually happen here too

will eventually happen here too

will eventually happen here too now this is largely a healthy reef right

now this is largely a healthy reef right

now this is largely a healthy reef right now if you look at a reef that’s under

now if you look at a reef that’s under

now if you look at a reef that’s under stress like this one here

and there’s bleaching all over the place

and there’s bleaching all over the place right that’s what all these white

right that’s what all these white

right that’s what all these white patches are that’s right looks like it’s

patches are that’s right looks like it’s

patches are that’s right looks like it’s snowed underwater so some of that might

snowed underwater so some of that might

snowed underwater so some of that might recover if it gets cooler sooner but a

recover if it gets cooler sooner but a

recover if it gets cooler sooner but a lot of that will die either directly or

lot of that will die either directly or

lot of that will die either directly or it’ll die of starvation or disease so if

it’ll die of starvation or disease so if

it’ll die of starvation or disease so if you look at look at the healthy reef on

you look at look at the healthy reef on

you look at look at the healthy reef on the left-hand side with reefs that have

the left-hand side with reefs that have

the left-hand side with reefs that have now start to bleach like the one on the

now start to bleach like the one on the

now start to bleach like the one on the right and we’re talking and Wow Wow

right and we’re talking and Wow Wow

right and we’re talking and Wow Wow that’s only a couple of months of it

that’s only a couple of months of it

that’s only a couple of months of it being under that stress it is it’s

being under that stress it is it’s

being under that stress it is it’s surprising to see how quickly it happens

surprising to see how quickly it happens

surprising to see how quickly it happens that is shocking the first time people

that is shocking the first time people

that is shocking the first time people saw you know a mass bleaching event was

saw you know a mass bleaching event was

saw you know a mass bleaching event was in the early 1980s and never before then

in the early 1980s and never before then

in the early 1980s and never before then but in 1998 we had the first global

but in 1998 we had the first global

but in 1998 we had the first global event but then you go to 2010 and

event but then you go to 2010 and

event but then you go to 2010 and happens again 2015 2016 and it’s

happens again 2015 2016 and it’s

happens again 2015 2016 and it’s happening again and all that while it

happening again and all that while it

happening again and all that while it appears that the interval between these

appears that the interval between these

appears that the interval between these events is shortening and their intensity

events is shortening and their intensity

events is shortening and their intensity is increasing we’re now in the third

is increasing we’re now in the third

is increasing we’re now in the third global mass bleaching event this year we

global mass bleaching event this year we

global mass bleaching event this year we had very warm conditions coming into the

had very warm conditions coming into the

had very warm conditions coming into the summer plus a strong El Nino and that

summer plus a strong El Nino and that

summer plus a strong El Nino and that then pushed sea temperatures you know

then pushed sea temperatures you know

then pushed sea temperatures you know right to the limit over most of the red