Coral reefs worldwide are declining rapidly, according to a new report. The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network found a nearly 10 percent decline in coral reefs since 2020. This decline is associated with global coral bleaching events, which have occurred four times since 1998.

Each bleaching event has resulted in a significant loss of global hard coral cover, ranging from 6.5 to 9.9 percent. The largest one-year decline occurred in 2024, affecting 87 percent of all reefs.

Further details on the report and its findings are available, including related stories on the impact of global warming on coral reefs.