Greenhouse Gases Must Be Cut to Save Great Barrier Reef

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

GREENHOUSE GASES MUST BE CUT TO SAVE THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Sydney, April 19, 1998: - Climate change must be stopped to
avoid large scale destruction of the Great Barrier Reef,
Greenpeace said today.

This year high temperatures and extreme rainfall have caused 
the worst coral bleaching in decades on the Great Barrier Reef.
Coral bleaching, when stressed corals turn white or "bleach",
can kill individual corals and destroy large sections of coral
reef.

In an interview with Greenpeace, Dr Terry Done, principle
research scientist from the Australian Institute of Marine
Sciences, said that in order to stop an increase in the severity
and frequency of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, "we
must stop climate change. This would not stop bleaching on the
reef but would ensure it would remain at natural levels."

Coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef this year has effected
over 1000km of inshore coral reefs from Bundaberg in the south
to Cooktown in the north. In some cases 80% of corals on the
reef have been bleached.

This year's coral bleaching is a global event that has been
observed off East Africa, Western Australia, Samoa, and in the
Galapagos Islands off South America. 

"We must go beyond simply monitoring the extent of the damage to
the Great Barrier Reef," said Erwin Jackson, Greenpeace Climate
campaigner.

"Damage to the Great Barrier is not just an issue for Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef is an international icon, one of the
seven wonders of the natural world and World Heritage listed.
Action is required by all nations to cut greenhouse gases and
begin the phase out  fossil fuels."

Over the next week a research team from Greenpeace and Southern
Cross University will be documenting coral bleaching on the
Great Barrier Reef's Heron Island.

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org