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Coral bleaching frequency doubles, reefs face 5-6 year recovery window

8/31/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Australian scientists led by Manuel Gonzalez Rivero warned that coral reefs are bleaching too often to recover.
Bleaching frequency has doubled, creating only five-to-six years between events.
The 2023 bleaching event was the most extensive on record, affecting 77 percent of global reef areas.
Hard-coral cover fell 9.5 percent below the 1980-2009 average, reaching 25.8 percent in 2024.

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Story summary

Australian scientists led by Manuel Gonzalez Rivero warned that coral reefs are bleaching too often to recover.
Bleaching frequency has doubled, creating only five-to-six years between events.
The 2023 bleaching event was the most extensive on record, affecting 77 percent of global reef areas.
Hard-coral cover fell 9.5 percent below the 1980-2009 average, reaching 25.8 percent in 2024.