A recent report shows that the Great Barrier Reef has undergone its worst coral bleaching since records began, due to climate change and the invasion of starfish.

The Great Barrier Reef has seen an alarming decline in coral cover, the most extensive in nearly 40 years, according to a report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Coral bleaching, caused by thermal stress, cyclones and the invasion of crown-of-thorns starfishes, is severely affecting reef biodiversity. AIMS warns the habitat could reach a tipping point and coral recovery will take years, depending on environmental conditions. The Great Barrier Reef is at risk from climate change and pollution, and urgent action is needed to prevent irrecoverable damage.