China is purposefully destroying tropical coral reefs.

The damage being done to coral reefs was one of the first things I thought of when land reclamation was started by the Chinese government. The reclamation efforts have been going on for quite some time but only now has this issue been brought up. Ecologist all over the world have been trying to bring to our attention the destruction to live in coral reefs worldwide . Up until this point the ecologist efforts to bring this information to the world have focused mainly on the pollution that is destroying the coral reefs. But to my knowledge this is the first time that massive reclamation efforts has been attributed to coral reefs destruction.

These reefs are in the Spratly Islands and include Mischief reef and Fiery Cross reef. So one of my main question is where are the ecologist voices? I have looked for articles from Greenpeace, Global environment facility, World nature association or for that matter any environmental group. Yet the first reference I saw on this ecological disaster are from news organizations and the only articles I found were in the last week.

Here's A article from Bangkok news.............

MANILA - China has wrought widespread environmental damage in the South China Sea with its construction of artificial islands on disputed reefs, the Philippines said Monday. This photo taken on March 13, 2012 and received from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on April 13, 2015 shows an aerial shot of the Chinese-held Johnson South Reef The construction works have destroyed 300 acres of coral reefs, resulting in an estimated $100 million in annual economic losses to coastal states, Philippine foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose said. Three hundred acres is roughly three times the size of Vatican City. "China’s massive reclamation activities are causing irreversible and widespread damage to the biodiversity and ecological balance of the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea," Jose said

Source


This article from 2012 shows that China's disregard for their environment has even caused massive just damage along their own coastline.

“We found that coral abundance has declined by at least 80 percentover the past 30 years on coastal fringing reefs along the Chinese mainland and adjoining Hainan Island,” said the study, published in the latest edition of the journal Conservation Biology.

Source



China's complete disregard of the ecosystem in this area needs to be addressed and brought to the attention of the world.

phys.org...

So is Australia.

Why single out China?

a reply to: bullcat

Maybe because they've issued a permit and there's out rage in Australia about it. From reading your article they have yet to drill and it could be stopped by the people of Australia. I seriously doubt the people of China are going to be able to stop the Chinese governments massive and guaranteed destruction of coral reefs.

Edit; I found an updated article from the world wildlife fund. This is as of 2015.........

WA Acting Premier Kim Hames said the state government was committed to protecting Ningaloo Reef, but at this stage Shell had only made the application to the federal government. "They will then make that application to the state, and then the state has the process of assessing the safety features around it, applying conditions to ensure safety," Dr Hames told reporters

Source

It seems to me the drilling permit has not been acted upon yet. There are also conditions that they must protect the reef. That is a long way from covering 300 hectors of the reef with thousands of tons of sand that guarantee it's destruction.

So the better question to you is why are you ignoring the guaranteed destruction of coral reef's.

originally posted by: Greathouse
a reply to: bullcat

Maybe because they've issued a permit and there's out rage in Australia about it. From reading your article they have yet to drill and it could be stopped by the people of Australia. I seriously doubt the people of China are going to be able to stop the Chinese governments massive and guaranteed destruction of coral reefs.

Edit; I found an updated article from the world wildlife fund. This is as of 2015.........

WA Acting Premier Kim Hames said the state government was committed to protecting Ningaloo Reef, but at this stage Shell had only made the application to the federal government. "They will then make that application to the state, and then the state has the process of assessing the safety features around it, applying conditions to ensure safety," Dr Hames told reporters

Source

It seems to me the drilling permit has not been acted upon yet. There are also conditions that they must protect the reef. That is a long way from covering 300 hectors of the reef with thousands of tons of sand that guarantee it's destruction.

So the better question to you is why are you ignoring the guaranteed destruction of coral reef's.

The intention is there. If it were not for protests, they will be drilling full steam ahead. you can bet your bottom dollar they will eventually get drilling.

a reply to: bullcat

Yes the intention is there as long as they meet Australia's requirements for protection of the reef. But still not even remotely close compare to what China is doing.

unfortunately China is not worried about the the fish or coral.
they are playing Risk..and they have just set up a forward outpost.
they will develope this..and others,and force their control of the area.

originally posted by: Greathouse
a reply to: bullcat

Yes the intention is there as long as they meet Australia's requirements for protection of the reef. But still not even remotely close compare to what China is doing.

Yeah because Im sure the corps wont buy somebody off lol

a reply to: bullcat


Still in no way can you compare oil drilling in Australia to China purposely killing a coral reef by entombing it in sand.

But I've seen you in this position several times, arguing a defenseless position completely driven by ego. With the incessant need to get the last word in.

So respond I'll let you think you won.

a reply to: Greathouse

I'm pretty sure there is a plan for Australia to blast a large channel through the Great Barrier Reef for shipping traffic. It is something the coal industry is strongly pushing for down under.

I do not think anyone has a realistic chance of stopping the Chinese and their current island building project.

a reply to: jrod

I have one question and if the answer is yes. I am just as opposed to Australia blasting a channel through a live coral reef as I am to China's purposely entombing their reef in sand.

So here's the question..........

Do you know if Australia's proposed plan goes through a live section of the reef?

The people in the Philippines also have been destroying reefs since they could, using dynamite and cyanide (among other things) to harvest fish and other wildlife.

In 2013 the USS Guardian ran aground a protected Philippine reef:

On 17 January 2013, Guardian ran aground on Tubbataha Reef. Unable to be recovered, the vessel was decommissioned and struck on 15 February 2013. After the removal of fuel and useful equipment, the minehunter was cut into three sections and lifted off the reef by crane ships. The last section was removed from Tubbataha Reef on 30 March 2013.

The USA (maybe) paid a paltry amount of money to the Philippine government, who then probably squandered or stole it.

I wouldn't point fingers solely at China, there is no shortage of coral reef abuse from all nations in SE Asia. In the Spratlys, it just happens to be remote enough where no one could destroy it until now.

a reply to: bullcat

Actually the biggest threat to Australia's coral reefs is most likely the phosphates washing of farmland and into the sea , or crown of thorns starfish , or coral bleaching or ...

But when its all said and done we don't go out with the sole purpose of killing our reefs . I doubt very much there will be any drilling . But on the other hand we do have uranium mines in a national park .

a reply to: Greathouse
Australia's plan will destroy live reef. They say it is only a small portion, but so will the Chinese and their new islands that just happen to be made in a very strategic location in terms of shipping and Naval interest.

a reply to: jrod

I strongly disagree with anyone intentionally damaging a live reef. I spent 30 minutes researching what you had said. The only references I could find was a page on a article from 2010 stating one channel expansion was going to dredge and and blast rock in Darwin.

article from 2010

And a article from 2014 about a proposed expansion of a existing port by dredging sand in Cairns and that the material was going to be dumped on land.

Cairns Channel dredging

So help me out a little please if it's not one of these two proposals. Could you point me in the right direction I'd like to learn more?

a reply to: Greathouse

I was mistaken, it was awhile back. My recall was off, I thought I remembered reading something about actually blasting some areas of the GBR. Looks like dredging project, and many are upset about it. It will still destroy live reef.

grist.org...

www.reuters.com...

Mind boggling in the rush to blame western allies people are actually going to defend the Chinese in this.

I would be outraged if my country did this, we should all be outraged if any country did this... Not everything is an East versus west issue.

a reply to: Greathouse

This thread backfired on ya as you tried to single out China

Not to mention how many islands US destroyed testing nukes

I think it's fair to say China as a nation has a very negative effect on the globes environment, just maybe a little late for us in the west to start pointing out other countries negative effect on the environment.

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: bullcat

Actually the biggest threat to Australia's coral reefs is most likely the phosphates washing of farmland and into the sea , or crown of thorns starfish , or coral bleaching or ...

But when its all said and done we don't go out with the sole purpose of killing our reefs . I doubt very much there will be any drilling . But on the other hand we do have uranium mines in a national park .

So spraying phosphates knowing fine well it washes into the sea is not purposely killing the reef?

BS excuses are still bs excuses.

They know fine well what the impact is.

I weep for the future...

So how long does China get a free pass for pollution, and general destruction of the environment?

When is it allowable to hold them accountable for the damage they are causing to the world?