The Great Barrier Reef of Australia suffered the largest and worst coral bleaching on record, a new report reveals.
According to BBC, a report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has found that the northern and southern branches of the Great Barrier Reef experienced the worst annual coral bleaching since the record began around 40 years ago.
The annual report shows that two out of three coral areas monitored by the scientist since 1986 were damaged by a devastating bleaching event in early 2024.
AIMS, after surveying and analysing the health of reefs between August 2024 and May 2025, on Wednesday, August 5, said that they found the “most spatially extensive” bleaching since 1986, which was “predominantly driven by climate change-induced heat stress.”
AIMS CEO Professor Selina Stead noted that “mass bleaching events are becoming more intense and are occurring with more frequency. The future of the world’s coral reefs relies on strong greenhouse gas emissions reduction.”
She stressed the importance of managing local pressure and supporting reefs to adapt and recover from the climate change impacts.
As per the AIMS report, the reef world requires years to recover from the devastating bleaching it experienced last year, adding that the recovery depends on the corals growing back and not getting hurt again.
UNESCO has classified the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, the Great Barrier Reef, as a World Heritage Site. The 2,300 km (1,429-mile) area of tropical corals is home to different kinds of wildlife.
