Cruisers have known for years that the coral reefs around the most beautiful tropic isles and along the coasts of Australia and Belize have been dying slowly. Every time you strap on fins, mask and snorkel, you can witness the reef decay for yourself.
While the causes of coral deterioration and death have been suggested by many scientists, research apparently was lacking. Recently, researchers Ken Caldeira and Rebecca Albright published what is considered a definitive study based on extensive tests on coral on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The results demonstrated definitively that elevated CO2 concentrations in sea water impair coral growth. Read more here.