The big picture: Though parts of the reef have seen some recovery, other areas are still vulnerable to climate change and mass bleaching, the government agency said. The GBR has been suffering from mass bleaching due to rising ocean temperatures.
Why it matters: Falling energy prices could help lower the next round of inflation readings, reducing pressure on the Federal Reserve to continue the rate-raising campaign that clobbered the stock market during the first half.
The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is still likely to be unusually active, though not quite as severe as initially predicted, according to a forecast update from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Thursday.
Why it matters: If the forecast proves accurate, this would be the seventh straight year of above average activity in the tropical Atlantic.
Bridger Aerospace, a Montana-based provider of aerial firefighting and wildfire surveillance services, agreed to go public via a blank check company called Jack Creek Investment Corp. The deal would value Bridger at an implied $869 million.
Why it matters: More than 60 wildfires are burning across the U.S., as climate change has significantly increased wildfire risks. The National Interagency Fire Center reported Sunday that the active number could soon rise, while the U.N. recently said to expect a 30% jump in global wildfires by 2050.
Celebrities would be doing the Earth a favor if they cut back on private jets, but combating global warming will require bigger systemic changes, not just better personal behavior.
Driving the news: A recent report from Yard, a U.K. marketing firm, found that Taylor Swift's flying habits put her atop the list of celebrity emissions "offenders" — and gets at a long-running debate about how much of a difference individual decisions make.
Australia's House of Representatives has passed the federal government's bill by 89 votes to 55 to cut the country's emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Why it matters: The landmark bill enshrines into law the Labor government's election pledge for the world's driest inhabited continent, where fossil-fuel exports have been in high demand in recent years as Australians faced a series of climate-change related extreme weather events — from deadly wildfires to flooding.
