Three-Year Ocean Heatwave Has Bleached 51% of World's Coral Reefs
A devastating three-year ocean heatwave has bleached 51% of the planet's coral reefs, according to new scientific assessments. The mass bleaching event, driven by record ocean temperatures, is the most extensive ever documented and has affected reef systems across every major ocean basin.
Coral bleaching occurs when stressed corals expel the symbiotic algae that provide them with food and color, leaving them white and vulnerable to disease and death. While some corals can recover if temperatures return to normal, prolonged heat stress can lead to widespread mortality. Scientists warn that the scale of this event poses an existential threat to reef ecosystems, which support roughly 25% of all marine species and provide food, coastal protection, and economic livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The crisis underscores the accelerating impact of climate change on the world's oceans.
Coral bleaching occurs when stressed corals expel the symbiotic algae that provide them with food and color, leaving them white and vulnerable to disease and death. While some corals can recover if temperatures return to normal, prolonged heat stress can lead to widespread mortality. Scientists warn that the scale of this event poses an existential threat to reef ecosystems, which support roughly 25% of all marine species and provide food, coastal protection, and economic livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The crisis underscores the accelerating impact of climate change on the world's oceans.