The Great Barrier Reef is seeing record growth despite climate alarmist fears.
According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), 87 reefs surveyed from August 2021 to May 2022 showed that parts of the Great Barrier Reef have recorded the highest amount of coral cover since monitoring began 36 years ago. The average hard coral cover in the upper and central regions of the reef increased by around one-third.
Australian Institute monitoring programme leader Mike Emslie commented on the Great Barrier Reef’s record growth, saying, “What we’re seeing is that the Great Barrier Reef is still a resilient system. It still maintains that ability to recover from disturbances.”
The recovery comes after the fourth mass bleaching in seven years and the first during a La Nina event, which typically brings cooler temperatures. While extensive, the institute said, the bleaching in 2020 and 2022 was not as damaging as in 2016 and 2017.
Australia is routinely criticized for its use of fossil fuels. Greg Bourne, a climate council member, said, “It is like announcing you are going to invest in the horse and cart just after Henry Ford has started producing cars,” referring to the Australian government’s plan for a “gas-fired recovery.”
Yet the Great Barrier Reef’s health is improving amid this criticism. Moreover, the institute’s findings suggest that Australia’s energy infrastructure is not impacting the health of the Great Barrier Reef.
Australia’s new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, promised to reduce emissions. Australia’s lower house passed a bill committing to a 43% reduction in emissions by 2030. The proposed legislation still requires approval from the Senate.
Some EU countries which were pioneers in converting to renewable energy infrastructure are now largely dependent on Russian oil. As a result, the EU is now planning for emergency intervention and structural reform” of the electricity market.
While speaking at a conference in Norway, Elon Musk said, “the world must continue to extract oil and gas in order to sustain civilization while also developing sustainable sources of energy.”
