Global coral reefs are experiencing bleaching events so frequently that they no longer have time to recover before the next one strikes. Scientists warned on Monday that global coral cover is now well below normal levels and faces the risk of an irreversible decline.
This decline in living corals is driven by the unprecedented twin dangers of human-caused climate change and an expected record El Niño. Rising sea temperatures mean that reefs lack sufficient time to bounce back between intense heat waves.
While coral reefs make up just 1 percent of ocean coverage, they host a quarter of all life in the sea. Furthermore, these reefs provide critical food and livelihoods for millions of people.