This is hugely important, but has hardly received any attention.

Basically, the top global marine scientists and coral experts came together (Dec 2019) for a $100 million coral propagation project in Florida ... and it has now almost completely failed.

Restoring Seven Iconic Reefs: A Mission to Recover the Coral Reefs of the Florida Keys

Corals in Florida and the Caribbean faced a record-setting underwater heat wave ... Ocean temperatures rose to unprecedented levels in July 2023, fueled by calm, hot weather tied to El Niño and boosted by climate change.

By 15 September, many areas endured 20+ weeks of elevated ocean temperatures (+1°C above average, during the hottest month of the year), causing a mass coral die-off.

There is no final estimate of casualties of artificially planted corals at the seven 'Iconic Reefs', but a survey in August 2023 showed 30% of the planted staghorn and 45% of the planted elkhorn was already dead, and about 90% was bleaching.

By late September ... no living elkhorn or staghorn (was found). Similar damage was observed through much of the Caribbean at both natural and restored reefs.

After mass coral die-off, Florida scientists rethink plan to save ailing reefs - and - archive version

Well, well, well ...

who would have thought that unregulated capitalism plus the oil industry could have turned out this way ... ?

Companies knew for decades that recycling was not viable, but promoted it regardless...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/15/recycling-plastics-producers-report

Well, this is bad news, although hardly unexpected ...

... the world's coral reefs are already on the brink, and will likely suffer another mass coral bleaching event in the coming months. 🪸🧡 

Exclusive: World on brink of fourth mass coral reef bleaching event, NOAA says

"We are literally sitting on the cusp of the worst bleaching event in the history of the planet" -- Derek Manzello, coordinator of NOAA's Coral Reef Watch.

"It's looking like the entirety of the Southern Hemisphere is probably going to bleach this year".

To merit a global mass bleaching event, a certain percentage of reef pixels need to reveal a level of heat stress in each ocean basin ... "technically, we're already there" in 2024.

This is very well written (2022) by Alan Urban (twitter) [and a dry video discussion] - all rather sobering >

https://www.okdoomer.io/10-reasons-our-civilization-will-soon-collapse/

There's plenty more, explaining how doomerism turns to acceptance >

• Why Civilization Would Collapse Even Without Climate Change
• Should We Tell People It’s Too Late To Save Civilization?
• When Will The Collapse Kill Me?
• I Know Collapse Is Coming, But Have I Truly Accepted It?
• We Are Living in a Slow-Moving Explosion
• 2023 Is The Year Climate Change Went Exponential

Dave Borlace is excellent - calm delivery, well resourced, good graphics.

"the current situation is not brilliant, is it?"

Some progress, amongst the gloom ...

One to 'Watch Later' on TV - 30 minute lecture from leading climate expert @Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf >

EDIT: we watched this last night ... afterwards, you might need a moment's silence, followed by a stiff one ... 🍸

A sobering 15 minutes by top Brit climate scientist Prof Kevin Anderson (Twitter) at Manchester Uni / ClimateUncensored.

Continuing on our current path could result in a 3-4°C temperature rise by the end of the century, a catastrophic outcome to be avoided at all costs. We need bold policy changes and not political rhetoric. [12 months ago]

and a (more recent) 90 minute interview ...

https://www.voanews.com/a/las-vegas-hits-record-of-fifth-consecutive-day-of-46-1-celsius-or-greater/7693595.html

Las Vegas baked Wednesday in its record fifth consecutive day of temperatures sizzling at 46.1 Celsius or greater amid a lengthening hot spell that is expected to broil much of the U.S. into the weekend.

💔  https://twitter.com/WilliamJRipple/status/1812338752712516027