The Wire

Coal dust can kill coral and slow down the growth rate of fish and seagrasses, according to a new study revealing the potential threat of coal shipping to the Great Barrier Reef. The report by scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies has found that coal dust enters the marine environment at loading and storage facilities when it’s blown or washed into the sea during transport. This is more evidence on top of an already momentous push by conservation groups for Australia to join the global transition from coal to renewable energy.