大象传媒

Climate scientists have long warned that coral is under threat from warming temperatures. Now after 10 consecutive months of record temperatures the world is experiencing its fourth global mass bleaching event, affecting more that half of the world's reefs.

大象传媒 climate reporter Georgina Rannard tells Global News Podcast: "Coral is this amazing, sort of very sensitive ecosystem. It's beautiful and provides this vast structure in the ocean for creatures to live around, 25% of marine life depend on these 'cities' that the coral reefs build," she says.

"As soon as temperatures increase above their limit, they really quickly feel that stress and then they become sick and diseased and if that heat goes on for long enough they do start to die," she says.

(Photo: Coral affected by bleaching. Credit: Getty Images)