<story><title>Great Barrier Reef headed for ‘massive death’</title><url>https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2018/08/world/great-barrier-reef/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>jarmitage</author><text>I met a coral researcher last year who said we just have to get over the fact that it’s all over for coral as it exists now, and try to learn as much as possible from it so we can re-design it later ourselves. They were very calm about this suggesting they were way past the grieving period. It was quite shocking to me.</text></comment>
<story><title>Great Barrier Reef headed for ‘massive death’</title><url>https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2018/08/world/great-barrier-reef/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>ggm</author><text>As a Brisbane resident I&amp;#x27;ve been lucky enough to visit the north central reef twice in the last 30 years. If you are a casual visitor (as I was) the damage is for many people, theoretical because you have no basis to compare, and the reef charter boats go to the best places you can find to see the best diversity. I know it&amp;#x27;s real. It harder too see and understand it&amp;#x27;s extent.&lt;p&gt;Also, much tourism runs in the northern-central reef, but the southern reef is actually visitable, if slightly less spectacular and less developed onshore for tourism and hospitality. You can still see a rich diverse reef from heron island or lady Musgrave. It&amp;#x27;s not as &amp;quot;wow&amp;quot; as up north.&lt;p&gt;TL;DR yes, the reef is highly damaged and in extreme danger. Come visit anyway: you&amp;#x27;ll have fun, you will still see a rich diverse ecosystem (albiet in stress and failing globally) and the reef community needs your dollars.&lt;p&gt;Its worse if you don&amp;#x27;t come visit.</text></comment>