The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living structure made up of billions of tiny interconnected coral polyps that support tremendous diversity. Stretching 1,400 miles along the east coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space, like the Great Wall of China. It is integral to the spirit and culture of the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander people. It is also designated as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and is visited each year by 2 million tourists who add $3 billion annually to the Australian economy. Sadly, this seemingly endless bounty of vibrant life is under profound threat.

While the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park limits some human impact from fishing and tourism, the reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985, according to a recent study by the Australian National Academy of Sciences.

Climate change already has had an immense impact on the Great Barrier Reef. The corals are part of a highly complex and interdependent ecosystem that forms habitats for countless species of sea life. As sea temperatures rise, the corals undergo thermal stress and lose their energy source. This causes them to lose their color and become bleached. While bleaching is not always fatal, it is a major source of coral death.

Inclement and unusual weather as a result of climate change includes heavy rainfall that leads to flood plumes and freshwater inundations that reduce salinity levels. This also can cause bleaching and lead to disease outbreaks, algae blooms and cloudy water that can limit the amount of light reaching corals beneath the surface.

The Australian government is considering financing massive coal projects in central Queensland as part of a $5 billion initiative of low-interest loans to develop infrastructure in this area. This would result in as much as 330 million tons of coal being exported by sea primarily to India right through the Great Barrier Reef.

The Aboriginal Australians maintain a profound spiritual relationship to the Great Barrier Reef. More than 70 clan groups of Aboriginals and Torres Islander clans have been an integral part of the reef ecosystem for more than 60,000 years. They hold countless creation stories, sometimes called dreaming stories, describing their ancestors and the origins of island reefs that are accompanied by ritual expression through dance and song.

Despite being a highly diverse people, the consensus among Aboriginal beliefs is that comprehensive healing involves attention and harmonization of the body, mind and spirit. Aboriginal beliefs also include a unique relationship to time. There is no strict sense of the past, but rather an integration of one’s identity and spiritual connection with the "timeless present."

This perspective is entirely foreign to the conventional modern view, but it sheds light on the profound sense of tragedy as the life of the Great Barrier Reef is faced with the effects of industrialization, global warming and economic drivers. We would do well to understand what these ancient peoples know well. Our lives are inextricably linked to the vitality of the Great Barrier Reef. Greater efforts must be made to protect this precious resource.

Ira Zunin, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., is medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center and CEO of Global Advisory Services Inc. Please submit your questions to info@manakaiomalama.com.