Global Coral Reefs Report Reveals Rapid Decline in Reefs
Coral reefs worldwide have declined significantly since 2020 due to global warming and rising temperatures.
A recent report published by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network revealed that coral reefs around the world have experienced a decline of nearly 10 percent since 2020 due to global warming and bleaching events.
Global Bleaching Events and Their Impacts
Four global coral bleaching events have been recorded worldwide since 1998. This process, known as stressed corals expelling microscopic algae and turning completely white, threatens ecosystems.
Decline in Hard Coral Cover
The newly published report shows that coral reefs worldwide have decreased by approximately 10 percent since 2020. Each bleaching event led to a loss ranging between 6.5 and 9.9 percent in global hard coral cover.
The Largest Decline in 2024
Hard coral cover is used to assess the physical health status of reef ecosystems. According to the report, the largest single-year decline on record occurred in 2024, when 87 percent of reefs were affected.
Global Warming and Water Temperature
Experts state that the root cause is global warming. While warming water causes the algae that corals need to survive to die, the prolonged warmth of the water makes it difficult for corals to recover.
Shortened Recovery Intervals
Although corals have the ability to recover following the bleaching process, the report emphasizes that recovery intervals have dropped from approximately 10 years to 5 to 6 years in many regions. Waters are expected to warm even further in the upcoming period due to the El Niño effect.