This year brought with it the most powerful El Niño on record. Oceans around the world are reaching their highest temperatures ever. And the heating of the oceans is leading to the bleaching of coral reefs all around the world. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration now predicts that this bleaching event will continue through 2016. It began in 2014 and is now the longest event of its type. The worldwide bleaching event is harming marine ecosystems as coral die off in the hot waters. Scientists are grappling with how to deal with problems such as this in the face of climate change. They say local conservation efforts can help in the short term, but a wider plan needs to be formed to tackle climate change.
Read more about the worldwide coral bleaching event and its effect on marine ecosystems.