June 2005
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Status of coral reefs of the world 2004
The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) finalised the ‘Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2004’ report in late November 2004 with assistance from CRC Reef. This report was much larger than previous reports with more than 240 authors from 96 countries, and about 580 pages. It was launched in Washington DC, Paris, Stockholm and London in December, and again in Bangkok in February. The report paints a relatively rosy picture of Australian coral reefs against a backdrop of damaged and destroyed reefs around the world. It is estimated that 20% of the world’s reefs are so severely damaged that they are unlikely to recover; about 24% of the world’s remaining reefs are under imminent risk of collapse through human pressures; and a further 26% are under a longer-term threat of collapse. Sadly, only about half of the reefs that were severely damaged by coral bleaching in 1998 have recovered. The Status 2004 report was produced in hard and electronic copy and can be found on www.aims.gov.au and www.gcrmn.org
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PO Box 772 Townsville
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