An article from IPS News reports on research indicating that human-caused climate change, rather than El Niño, is primarily responsible for most coral bleaching events over the past four decades. The piece highlights the case of Namotu Island, Fiji, where coral reefs have suffered severe bleaching due to rising ocean temperatures. Local residents like Chiku Chande describe visible changes in the reef, which supports both local livelihoods and biodiversity. The study, led by Climate Central and published in Oceanography, challenges previous assumptions that El Niño was the main driver of coral bleaching. Researchers used temperature data and climate models to show that without human-induced warming, large-scale bleaching events would not have occurred. The findings underscore the urgent need to address greenhouse gas emissions to protect marine ecosystems.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the issue of coral bleaching as a direct consequence of human-caused climate change, emphasizing the role of greenhouse gas emissions and aligning with scientific consensus that prioritizes anthropogenic factors over natural phenomena like El Niño. While the study itself is based,






