Prince Charles has called for a "blue economy" to promote the sustainable use of ocean resources and save Australia's Great Barrier Reef, as he visits the World Heritage-listed ecosystem Friday.

The 2,300-kilometre (1,429-mile) long biodiverse site off the Queensland state coast is reeling from significant coral bleaching due to warming sea temperatures linked to climate change.

The world's largest living structure is also under pressure from farming runoff, development and predatory crown-of-thorns starfish, with experts warning it could be suffering irreparable damage.

Britain's heir to the throne, who is passionate about the environment and promoting sustainability, said society was "truly at a crossroads" in its ability to protect the world's reefs.

"This will need to be a central aspect of the rapidly emerging concept of a sustainable 'blue economy', through which sustainable economic development is achieved via the wise use of ocean resources," he told the Australian Financial Review in a rare interview.

"Within the blue economy it would be helpful to think of coral reef ecosystems as natural capital assets, assets that require the kind of prudent and wise management that will yield dividends long into the future."

The prince said investment in projects promoting coral reef health and their resilience against global and ocean warming were needed.

But he admitted it was "no simple matter" and would require widespread support including from the private sector.

Prince Charles is visiting Lady Elliot Island, a coral cay at the southern tip of the Barrier Reef, for a roundtable discussion with business leaders on the role they can play in conservation.

His visit has prompted Aus$10 million (US$7.7 million) in donations for conservation efforts, with Australian property giant Lendlease donating Aus$5 million and Canberra matching the amount.

Other companies involved in the roundtable include mining giant BHP, airline Qantas, aerospace titan Boeing and the Walt Disney Company.

Coral reefs make up less than one percent of Earth's marine environment, but are home to an estimated 25 percent of ocean life, acting as nurseries for many species of fish.

Prince Charles added in the interview that it was crucially important that world transitions to a low-carbon economy "which more closely mirrors nature's own economy where nothing is wasted".

"Whatever the case, we must act before it is to late," he said.

grk/mp/ceb

QANTAS AIRWAYS

BOEING

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

New study brings us one step closer to understanding how tidal clocks tick
Tel Aviv, Israel (SPX) Apr 03, 2018
Almost all organisms have an internal biological clock that synchronizes their behavior with the environment in which they live. Endogenous biological clocks follow the major cyclical rhythms: the solar-influenced 24-hour transition of day and night, the tidal 12.4 hour rising and falling of the tides that is governed by the lunar cycle, and the annual seasonal changes. Organisms that live in shallow waters are presumably influenced by the lunar and tidal cycles to a greater extent than the solar ... read more