导读:据调查显示，澳大利亚东北部大堡礁近年面临的珊瑚白化危机史无前例，目前已有三分之二的珊瑚遭到破坏。
The bleaching - or loss of algae - affects a 1,500km (900 miles) stretch of the reef, according to scientists.
科学家表示，珊瑚白化和受损涉及1,500公里范围的珊瑚。
The latest damage is concentrated in the middle section, whereas last year’s bleaching hit mainly the north.
此次珊瑚白化主要集中在大堡礁的中部，而去年的珊瑚白化主要是在北部。
Experts fear the proximity of the two events will give damaged coral little chance to recover.
专家们担心，两次白化事件发生的地点很接近，这将使珊瑚很难有机会复原。
Prof Terry Hughes, from James Cook University, said governments must urgently address climate change to prevent further bleaching.
澳洲詹姆斯－库克大学教授特里·休斯表示，各国政府应紧急行动起来，解决气候变暖导致的白化问题。
Since 1998, we have seen four of these events and the gap between them has varied substantially, but this is the shortest gap we have seen, Prof Hughes told the BBC.
休斯教授对BBC表示，"自1988年以来，我们已经历四次珊瑚白化事件，而每次珊瑚白化发生的时间间隔越来越短，而这次的间隔最短。"
The sooner we take action on global greenhouse gas emissions and transition away from fossil fuels to renewables, the better.
他表示，"越早对全球温室气体排放采取行动，越早从化石燃料转向可再生能源，就越好"。
Almost 800 coral reefs across 8,000km were assessed by the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
澳大利亚ARC珊瑚卓越研究中心对8,000公里范围内近800种珊瑚礁现状进行了调查。
The findings showed only the southern section was relatively unscathed.
调查发现，仅有大堡礁南部的珊瑚礁没有受到珊瑚白化的影响。
Researcher Dr James Kerry said the damage was unprecedented.
珊瑚卓越研究中心研究人员詹姆斯·凯利表示，珊瑚白化的破坏"史无前例"。
"The central third this year, I would say, was as severe in terms of bleaching as what we saw as the northern third last year," he told the BBC.
凯利对BBC表示，“大堡礁中部今年珊瑚白化的严重情况，与北部去年的情况类似。”
“For those reefs that were hit two years in a row, it is effectively a double whammy. They have had no chance to recover from last year’s events.”
“对那些连续两年遭白化破坏的珊瑚礁来说，这简直就是双重打击。它们没有机会从去年的打击中复原了。”
