The International Olympic Committee has chosen the South Pacific island of Tahiti to host the two-day surfing competition for the 2024 Paris Summer Games. The chosen site, Teahupo’o, is renowned for its powerful waves and is a vital source of food for locals, with a pristine lagoon and vibrant reefs.
Ajit Subramaniam, a biological oceanographer at Columbia Climate School’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, raises concerns about the impact of construction on the fragile ecosystem. He emphasizes the slow growth rate of coral and questions the necessity of damaging such a delicate environment.
Carly Kenkel, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California, highlights the need to remove coral from the site due to the scale of the tower. With higher water temperatures and limited time for relocation, the safety of the coral is a significant concern.
While plans to relocate coral are in progress, the task of safely moving over 1,000 live corals representing 24 distinct species is daunting. The potential ecosystem damage from construction is estimated at $1.3 million, and recent footage shows a construction barge damaging the shallow reef.
Kenkel emphasizes the urgency of avoiding additional stress on the reef, especially during a predicted major bleaching year. The preservation of coral is crucial, particularly in the face of potential environmental threats.
2024-03-05 10:00:04
Post from phys.org