Environmental scientist warns that coral reefs could be lost to climate change
Published:Wednesday | December 2, 2009 | 1:36 PM
A leading environmental scientist is warning that coral reefs could be lost to climate change.
Professor James Crabbe, Dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science at the University of Bedfordshire is advising that urgent action is needed to save them.
His warning comes ahead of the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen next week.
Professor Crabbe has carried out research in Jamaica and on the Belize Barrier Reef.
He has been checking the impact on coral reefs of climate driven bleaching, also known as the whitening of corals, and storm events.
The Professor said the existence of coral reefs is under threat from a predicted three and a half degree temperature increase by the end of the 21st century.