‘연 9.9조달러 가치’ 산호초, 기후변화 타격…‘백화 피해’ 회복 능력 줄어

Climate change is causing more frequent and severe coral bleaching events, which are hindering the ability of coral reefs to recover, according to the latest "Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2025" report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN). The report reveals that the percentage of living coral surface area, or coral cover, dropped from an average of 30.2% between 1980 and 2009 to 27.3% between 2020 and 2024.

Coral reefs cover only 0.2% of ocean floor area but support over 25% of marine species. Their ecological services, valued at $9.9 trillion annually, are crucial to human livelihoods, food sources, and cultural identities, as well as coastal protection from waves. Coral bleaching, caused by ocean warming as a result of climate change, is reducing coral cover and exacerbating the problem.

There have been four major coral bleaching events since 1998, with each one causing significant coral loss. While some recovery occurs after bleaching, the time to return to previous levels is shrinking as bleaching becomes more frequent. Overfishing, pollution, and coastal development also degrade coral resilience. Although coral reefs are not entirely lost, coral cover in the period between the third and fourth bleaching events (2014-2017) increased by 6%.

This shows that coral reefs can partially recover when stressors are reduced. Coral cover also varies by region, with the Caribbean and Pacific experiencing declines of 43.4% and 18.3%, respectively, while the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia saw increases of 43.0% and 16.2%, respectively. The report emphasizes that the most critical action to protect coral reefs is to curb climate change, comply with the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and strive for a 1.5 degrees Celsius limit.

Additionally, reducing overfishing, pollution, and enhancing coral protection and long-term monitoring can improve the reefs' chances of recovery.