The Latest: APNewsBreak: Scientists send plea to Australia

The letter, signed by past and present presidents of the International Society for Reef Studies on behalf of the attendees of the International Coral Reef Symposium, urged the Australian government to prioritize its Great Barrier Reef and do more to curb fossil fuel consumption in the country.

A call to action from three Pacific island nations whose reefs are in the crosshairs of the largest and longest-lasting coral bleaching event in recorded history was presented Friday at the conclusion of the International Coral Reef Symposium in Honolulu.

The call to action, signed by the three presidents, asked for better collaboration between the scientific community and local governments, saying there needs to be more funding and a strengthened commitment to protecting the reefs.

In response to the letter, the scientific community at the conference said: "We pledge to take up the 13th ICRS Leaders' Call to Action, and will work together with national leaders of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the world to curb the continued loss of coral reefs."

The area of the reef that suffered most is extremely remote, he said, with no pollution, very little fishing pressure and no coastal development.

The researchers focused on the economic and social benefits coral reefs contribute to communities across the globe, saying the critical habitats generate trillions of dollars annually but conservation efforts are not proportionately or adequately funded.