[Coral-List] Bleaching

[Austin Bowden-Kerby]

Hi Les,

Complacency among what group- the scientists, the public, politicians?  The
restoration community in the developing world at least are working their
butts off and with very little compensation, I see no complacency there.

But perhaps you are right- if people are presenting coral restoration as
the solution, it indeed might lead to complacency among some sectors, if
they believe that a simple solution has been found. Along these lines,
presenting clean waters and no take areas as the ultimate solution is just
as delusional, as they do not address climate change. Every article focused
on positive signs of reef recovery or evidence of coral reef adaptation in
the public media might also lead to complacency, because they ignore the
reality that the warming has only just begun.  The grim reality is that all
the MPAs, marine parks, no-take areas, restoration programs, and cleaner
watersheds on the planet will not stop the collapse and mass extinction
that are bearing down on us.  That is almost never said, because it is too
horrific to envision.

Every report on any positive trend to do with coral reefs should at least
mention that climate change is just getting started, and that we are on a
course for disaster presently- 3.2C by 2100, where any progress we have
made will likely be swept away.  The coral reef conservation community
needs to repeat the mantra that all conservation efforts on the planet,
that all the MPAs and watershed management, and restoration efforts will
not save us- at best, all they do is buy us some time.  Any and all
progress will be short lived if we don't keep fossil fuels in the ground.

Again, the problem of positive reporting is not confined to the coral
restoration people, so please stop singling us out!   What I see is a deep
denial of the coming collapse among our own ranks- the coral reef
conservation community in general, and extending to intergovernmental
organizations and big donors like GFCR, who continue with the same programs
and solutions that that have been promoted for decades, as if those actions
will prevent the coming mass extinction. It looks like everyone is still
routinely going about their work, not looking at what is coming at us, very
much like in the movie "Don't Look Up"?

It is my hope that the scientific community will look up, finally
internalize what is coming, stop bickering, learn to speak with a much
louder and more united voice, and begin using every resource and every
governmental influence within our reach to stop this insanity.

Regards,

Austin

Austin Bowden-Kerby, PhD
Corals for Conservation
P.O. Box 4649 Samabula, Fiji Islands

https://www.corals4conservation.org
TEDx talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PRLJ8zDm0U
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/emergency-response-to-massive-coral-bleaching/
<https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/emergency-response-to-massive-coral-bleaching/>



Kaufman, Leslie S via Coral-List
6:36 AM (2 hours ago)
to coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov, Leslie
To Bill’s point, reef restoration under the terms described by John Ogden
can be very positive, though it carries the risk of engendering
complacency.  All solutions divorced from root causes do.

Les