In the news this week . . .

There is talk of extending the network of Australian Marine Protected Areas in order to prevent commercial fishing in a region of the Coral Sea. There is debate over whether a no-take MPA would be more economically viable than a multiple use MPA, due to the cost involved with enforcement and the loss of income for local people, compared with the potential environmental benefits that would occur with full protection. This issue links in nicely with this week’s post which looked at the economic valuation of nature, and the potential cost of climate change. The full news article can be viewed here.




This week scientists from around the world travelled to Belize for a conference, hosted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, aimed at discussing the impact of climate change on small nation islands. These nations are likely to be some of the worst affected by climate change, due to their dependence on fragile ecosystems, such as coral reefs. Sea level rise is also a very real threat to these regions, with potential impacts including a reduction in island size, a reduction in the level of freshwater and increased soil salinity. In order for their survival adaptation is a necessity, and workshops like these will help focus scientific investigation and international action on these issues.




Finally, here is a first-hand account of the damage that both human exploitation and climate change are doing to coral reefs in Bora Bora, French Polynesia. Provided by Jon Bowermaster, a National Geographic journalist, the article offers a fascinating insight into some of the main concerns in this region, as well as some interesting solutions.