An Australian government report has revealed that the Great Barrier Reef has experienced the most widespread coral bleaching on record due to climate change-induced heat stress. The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) conducted surveys from August 2024 to May 2025 and found that almost one-third of the coral cover has declined in the southernmost third of the reef, with this area experiencing the highest recorded levels of heat stress.
Scientists said that the declines in coral cover in both the north and south were the largest recorded in a single year since monitoring began 39 years ago. The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest living structure, is a 2,300km expanse of tropical corals and home to a diverse array of marine life.
AIMS CEO Professor Selina Stead said that mass bleaching events are becoming more intense and frequent, and that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for the future of coral reefs. Local efforts to help the reefs adapt and recover from climate change are also important.
According to UNESCO, the Great Barrier Reef is home to the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, including 400 types of coral and over 1,500 species of fish. While it is a World Heritage Site, the reef’s tourism revenue has caused Australia to lobby against its inclusion on a list of endangered World Heritage Sites. Despite this, Australia remains a major exporter of fossil fuels, which contribute to the causing of the problem. The country must find a way to balance its economic interests with the need to protect the reef and mitigate the impact of climate change, which has already caused widespread coral bleaching.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/6/australias-great-barrier-reef-hit-by-record-bleaching-as-oceans-warm?traffic_source=rss
