The bleaching and heat-stress narrative that claims rising CO2 levels are an existential threat to the [Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover] has not materialized. [some emphasis, links added]
Since reliable monitoring began 40 years ago, scientists (Ceccarelli et al., 2026) have provided graphical evidence of no significant overall net change in coral cover throughout the Northern, Central, and Southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR).
Over the last 15 years, coral reef representation has taken diverse trajectories, yet there appears to be a small, relative increase in the overall coral cover of the GBR.
Previous research (Leonard et al., 2020) has indicated the GBR was ~1°C warmer and sea levels were ~1 meter higher than today throughout large portions of the last 2,500 years.
Declines in GBR coral cover are associated with cooling periods, and coral growth is linked to warmer sea surface temperatures and higher sea levels.
“…increase in reef growth at Middle Island since the late 1970s associated with modern increases in average SSTs”
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