: What the Worst-Ever Marine Heatwave Means for Oceans and Humanity
For decades, coral reefs have been described as the rainforests of the sea; vibrant, complex ecosystems that support an extraordinary share of marine life while protecting coastlines and sustaining millions of human livelihoods. Today, that description is becoming dangerously outdated. Between 2023 and 2025 , the world is witnessing the largest and most severe global coral bleaching event ever recorded . According to leading marine science institutions, up to 84% of the world’s coral reefs have been exposed to bleaching-level heat stress, a scale of impact unprecedented in modern history. This is not a regional crisis, nor a temporary anomaly. It is a planetary signal that the oceans, long considered a buffer against climate change, are reaching their limits. Coral bleaching is no longer a futu...