Marine Scientists Shows How the World Lost 14% of its Corals in Less than a Decade

According to a study on coral reef health, almost 14% of the world's coral has been destroyed in less than a decade.

Coral reefs make up only 0.2 percent of the ocean floor, but they are home to a quarter of all marine species. For millions of people, they provide critical habitat, essential sources of protein, medications, food, work, and protection from storms and erosion.

While major bleaching episodes have been so frequent in the previous decade that coral has not had time to recover, scientists detected a comeback in 2019 when reefs restored 2% of their coral cover. They believe this gives them optimism that if the forces exerting pressure on reef ecosystems relax, they might rebound to pre-1998 levels within a decade.

Overfishing, irresponsible coastal development, and deteriorating water quality are some of the other threats to coral.

The latest findings come after a separate study published last month found that the world's coral reef cover has decreased by half since the 1950s.

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