"Great Barrier Reef Faces Fourth Mass Coral Bleaching Event"

Australia's Great Barrier Reef has been hit by a major coral bleaching event, likely caused by heat stress built up over the summer, with damage being "widespread" in at least two-thirds of the areas surveyed. The bleaching, a result of elevated sea surface temperatures primarily driven by climate change, poses a significant threat to the reef's survival and the marine life it supports. The United Nations' proposal to put the Great Barrier Reef on an endangered list has been lobbied against by Australia, as it could impact tourism and the economy.