Degradation of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef could continue with a seasonal rise in sea temperatures, while the country’s most important body specializing in marine science has expressed concern about a new wave of bleaching that could affect coral reefs this year.

Areas of coral reefs showed promising signs of recovery until a bleaching wave hit in 2022, turning areas of bright coral a dull white.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science pointed out that although coral reefs are stabilized for a “relatively mild” summer in 2023, they are still fragile.

Coral reefs are “increasingly at risk because climate change is causing more frequent and severe bleaching events to be recorded,” said David Wachenfeld, the institute’s director of research.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has indicated there is a “possibility” of a “Ni Nino” weather event in the country in the coming weeks, which could lead to an increase in Pacific Ocean temperatures and a consequent risk of bleaching. Great Barrier Reef.

Globally, average ocean temperatures have exceeded records for seasonal temperature increases since last April.

UNESCO first warned about coral reef degradation in 2010.

Ocean heat waves in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2022 caused bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef.