[Coral-List] Is any reef "remote?"

[Steve Mussman]

Dear Mike and Dennis,
Bear with me on this for a moment please. I don't think that anybody who seriously studies these issue is going to advocate that we disregard efforts to manage local stressors. These projects need to be continually encouraged and supported, but at the same time I strongly believe that local reef conservation efforts need to make it clear that local action is not, in and of itself, a cure all. The problem I have with some (local) conservation projects is that they can give the impression that if we do X (e.g. eliminate debris or invasive lionfish) that all will be well with the reefs.  I realize that some conservationists are avoiding the mention of climate change in an effort to maintain widespread support, but this smacks of some sort of "reverse political correctness" if you will. What's wrong with telling it like it is? We need to do a lot of things differently if we are to have any chance of conserving coral reefs for future generations. Truth be told, we need both local and global action, neither is expendable.         Steve
 

Sent from my iPad

> On May 16, 2017, at 3:24 PM, Risk, Michael <riskmj at mcmaster.ca> wrote:
> 
> 
>   On the contrary. In previous posts, I have said that we need to focus on the
>   local,  because  we  have some control over that (active tourism works
>   wonders). If, for example, we project Gardner's curve/trend into the future,
>   and use Florida as an example, we can see that the world's reefs will all
>   have (vast majority) been dead decades before the oceans reach their thermal
>   limit. Think globally, act locally..
>   You are an American-I will put it to you like this. Do you think you would
>   have more success convincing your friends and neighbours to check out the
>   sewage disposal systems of any proposed holiday resorts, or convincing your
>   country to give up fossil fuels?
>   One is possible, and will produce results. The other...ins'allah.
>   (Sorry-"neighbors".)
>   Mike
>     _________________________________________________________________
> 
>   From: Dennis Hubbard [dennis.hubbard at oberlin.edu]
>   Sent: May 16, 2017 2:10 PM
>   To: Risk, Michael
>   Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>   Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Is any reef "remote?"
>   Just to play devil's advocate (as someone who thinks of myself as  largely a
>   "climate scientist"), does anyone think that we need to just give up on all
>   locally based management and focus on emissions because, "unless we change
>   that, nothing else matters"?
>   Dennis
>   On Tue, May 16, 2017 at 9:15 AM, Risk, Michael <[1]riskmj at mcmaster..ca>
>   wrote:
> 
>        For those of you who may still harbour the belief that there are reefs
>        isolated from human impacts:
>        [2]http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-39931042
>     _______________________________________________
>     Coral-List mailing list
>     [3]Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>     [4]http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> 
>   --
>   Dennis Hubbard
>   Chair, Dept of Geology-Oberlin College Oberlin OH 44074
>   (440) 775-8346
>    "When you get on the wrong train.... every stop is the wrong stop"
>    Benjamin Stein: "Ludes, A Ballad of the Drug and the Dream"
> 
> References
> 
>   1. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
>   2. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-39931042
>   3. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>   4. http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
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