Largest coral die-off at Great Barrier Reef

Washington

ALL year, it has been a real-time environmental catastrophe. The Great Barrier Reef, an unparalleled ecological treasure that supports all sorts of sea life and a range of human needs, not to mention a huge tourist economy, has seen the largest coral die-off ever recorded.

If this were a rare event, separated by many years from the next big die-off, the reef would rebound. But in the age of climate change, scientists say this and other tragedies are frighteningly likely to be compounded.