Future of the Environment

David Attenborough: The world’s oceans are under the greatest threat in human history

Tourists stand in front of huts that form part of the Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort where a turtle digs for food amongst the coral in the island's lagoon, north-east of the town of Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia, June 9, 2015. UNESCO World Heritage delegates recently snorkelled on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, thousands of coral reefs, which stretch over 2,000 km off the northeast coast. Surrounded by manta rays, dolphins and reef sharks, their mission was to check the health of the world's largest living ecosystem, which brings in billions of dollars a year in tourism. Some coral has been badly damaged and animal species, including dugong and large green turtles, are threatened. UNESCO will say on Wednesday whether it will place the reef on a list of endangered World Heritage sites, a move the Australian government wants to avoid at all costs, having lobbied hard overseas. Earlier this year, UNESCO said the reef's outlook was "poor". REUTERS/David Gray TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYPICTURE 13 OF 23 FOR WIDER IMAGE STORY "GREAT BARRIER REEF AT RISK"SEARCH "GRAY REEF" FOR ALL PICTURES TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

BBC's latest Attenborough series, Blue Planet, highlights how we are damaging our oceans and it's corals Image: REUTERS/David Gray

John McKenna
Senior Writer, Formative Content
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Future of the Environment

Warming oceans and waste threaten sea creatures’ survival. Image: BBC
Sir David Attenborough warns the oceans are at crisis point. Image: REUTERS/Hannah McKay
Coral reefs could be killed off by rising sea temperatures. Image: BBC
Global warming is starving coral of their food. Image: National Ocean Service
Walrus mothers struggle with melting ice in the Arctic.
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