Entsch told the ABC on Thursday warm water originating in the northern hemisphere and flowing across the Pacific to the reef was a chief cause of mass coral bleaching. He later told the Guardian the trip had gone “exceptionally well” and he rejected the criticism of his earlier comments. The latest government report card on reef water quality, released in February, gave the health of the reef environment a “D” grade but said there had been moderate improvements in water quality. Hoegh-Guldberg said coral reefs around the world were suffering bleaching not just the Great Barrier Reef. “There is no evidence that moderate improvements in water quality have made inshore reefs more susceptible to global warming.

Source: The Guardian July 15, 2021 17:26 UTC