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Australia’s Great Barrier Reef devastated by worst coral bleaching on record, new report finds

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By illuminem briefings

· 2 min read


illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on CNN or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has experienced its most extensive coral bleaching event on record, with up to one-third of hard coral cover lost across major regions in 2024, according to a new report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
Triggered by a severe marine heatwave during an El Niño year, the bleaching event marked the largest spatial footprint in the reef’s 39-year monitoring history, with some local reefs losing up to 70% of their coral cover

🔭 The context: This catastrophic event coincides with a rare global mass bleaching that affected coral reefs across dozens of countries
It follows a recent period of recovery for the Great Barrier Reef, aided by fast-growing coral species that were particularly vulnerable to thermal stress
Prior severe bleaching events were recorded in 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2022 — illustrating an intensifying trend closely linked to rising ocean temperatures driven by climate change

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Coral reefs are foundational to marine biodiversity, supporting 25% of ocean life despite covering just 1% of the ocean floor
Their loss threatens food security, coastal protection, and economic livelihoods for millions
The Great Barrier Reef's decline is emblematic of accelerating climate risks to ecosystems, and the bleaching underscores the urgency of global emissions reduction and adaptive marine conservation

⏭️ What's next: While Australia continues transitioning to renewable energy, environmental groups are urging faster action, including phasing out coal power and implementing stronger reef protection measures
Further assessments of 2025 bleaching impacts are pending
Scientists are calling for urgent investment in reef adaptation research, as many fear the reef may reach an ecological tipping point beyond recovery if warming trends persist

💬 One quote: “The coral reefs of the future are unlikely to look like those of the past. The loss of biodiversity seems inevitable,” the report warned

📈 One stat: Oceans now absorb 90% of the excess heat from global warming, with each of the past eight years breaking records for ocean heat content

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