Belize Barrier Reef sees one of the worst coral bleaching events in the past decade

Belize boasts the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere but like others around the world, Belize’s barrier reef system is suffering from the effects of climate change. The Fisheries Department says that a major issue for the reef is coral bleaching, a phenomenon where the corals expel all their living tissue and become completely white due to rising sea temperatures. The department issued a public notice today explaining that the reef recently saw one of the worst bleaching events of the past decade, but that the factors causing the bleaching are beyond human control. The department says that, since there is no cure for the issue, all that can be done is to support the corals’ ability to become more tolerant to warmer waters. The department said quote, “The causes of these mass bleaching events are beyond our national actions; however, Belize aims to join countries like Barbados and Maldives in lobbying for more urgent carbon dioxide reductions and to ensure appropriate compensation/mitigation to address the damages already done.,” end of quote. The department added that it is coordinating with the National Coral Reef Monitoring Network, to assess the extent of the bleaching and working with its partners to develop a response plan. Belize’s barrier reef system was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.