Coral Reef Restoration: Study Reveals Climate Change Outpaces Current Efforts

A recent international study highlights the struggle of coral reef restoration projects to keep up with the destruction caused by climate change. Researchers from the European Union Joint Research Center, the University of Western Australia, and Flinders University found that current restoration efforts are insufficient to offset widespread coral reef loss. The study, led by Giovanni Strona, Clelia Mulà, and Professor Corey Bradshaw, points to high costs, unproven methods, and poor planning as reasons for project failures. While restoration can be valuable, it cannot compensate for the extensive damage caused by climate change. Researchers advocate for strategic restoration focusing on less degraded reefs, combined with broader conservation efforts. The study, published in *Nature Ecology and Evolution*, emphasizes that slowing climate change is crucial for saving coral reefs. Coral reefs, which benefit over a billion people globally by providing tourism revenue, food security, and protection from storms and coastal erosion, have declined by at least 50% over the past 40 years. Experts project losses of over 90% of total coral cover by the end of the century if climate change continues unabated. The researchers also noted the absence of standardized data collection and reporting from restoration projects, hindering the identification of successful strategies.