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U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Press Statement

Press Statement by M. Lee McClenny, Acting Spokesman
March 5, 1999

Department of State Report on Coral Bleaching

The Department of State is releasing a report today calling for significant attention to be directed at monitoring coral reefs and for further research on the projected and realized impacts of global climate change on these ecosystems.

Entitled "Coral Bleaching, Coral Mortality, and Global Climate Change," the report is being presented today by Rafe Pomerance, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Environment and Development, to the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting March 5-6 in Maui, Hawaii.

The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force was established by President Clinton through an Executive Order at the National Ocean Conference in June 1998. The Task Force, which first met in Florida last October, is committed to bringing the management, policy and scientific expertise of United States agencies to bear on coral reef conservation and management around the world.

The Department’s report on Coral Bleaching is available by clicking on "What’s New" at: www.state.gov/www/global/oes. For further information, please contact Susan Povenmire, Press and Public Affairs Advisor, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, at 202-647-3486.

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