Climate change has already affected more than 45 % of Australia 's coastal marine habitats . A study by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation ( Australia ) found that extreme weather events have had a large - scale impact on ecosystems around the country 's coasts , damaging coral reefs , seagrass meadows and mangrove forests . These include kelp and mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs, some of which have not yet recovered, and may never do so. It warned that some of the habitats may never recover , with extreme weather events expected to worsen over the coming years .
Climate change has already affected more than 45 % of Australia 's coastal marine habitats . A study by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation ( Australia ) found that extreme weather events have had a large - scale impact on ecosystems around the country 's coasts , damaging coral reefs , seagrass meadows and mangrove forests . It warned that some of the habitats may never recover , with extreme weather events expected to worsen over the coming years .