The Sixth Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) Status of Coral Reefs of the World Report 2020

The  Sixth Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) Status of Coral Reefs of the World Report 2020 has been published.  This flagship product of the GCRMN describes the status and trends of coral reefs worldwide. This sixth edition is the first since 2008, and the first based on the quantitative analysis of a global dataset compiled from raw monitoring data contributed by more than 300 members of the network. The global dataset spanned more than 40 years from 1978 to 2019, and consisted of almost 2 million observations from more than 12,000 sites in 73 reef-bearing countries around the world.

According to the report, coral reefs across the world are under relentless stress from warming caused by climate change and other local pressures such as overfishing, unsustainable coastal development and declining water quality.  However, the report also found that many of the world’s coral reefs remain resilient and can recover if conditions allow, providing hope for the long-term health of coral reefs if immediate steps are taken to stabilize emissions to curb future warming.