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Global Coral Bleaching Crisis Reaches Record 84% of Reefs

The fourth and most extensive coral bleaching event since 1998, driven by human-induced climate change, threatens marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems worldwide.

Bleached corals are seen at a reef in Koh Mak, Trat province, Thailand, May 8, 2024. REUTERS/Napat Wesshasartar/File Photo
FILE - Bleached coral is visible at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, off the coast of Galveston, Texas, in the Gulf of Mexico, Sept. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
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Overview

  • The ongoing global coral bleaching event, officially declared in April 2024, has affected 84% of the world's coral reefs, surpassing the 2014–2017 event in scale and severity.
  • Record-high ocean temperatures, fueled by human-caused climate change, have driven this crisis, with 2024 being the hottest year on record and sea surface temperatures averaging 20.87°C.
  • Even historically resilient reefs like Raja Ampat and the Gulf of Eilat have succumbed, indicating no remaining safe havens from extreme heat stress.
  • Post-bleaching surveys report coral mortality rates as high as 93% in some areas, including parts of Mexico and the Great Barrier Reef, with recovery windows shrinking due to persistent heat.
  • Scientists emphasize the urgent need for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to prevent further reef loss, as projections predict up to 90% of reefs could disappear at 1.5–2°C of warming.