Australia's marine scientists recently released their annual audit of the Great Barrier Reef, reporting that coral cover has held steady or increased across most of the reef. The five most recent years are considered the best on record in the 40 years that scientists have systematically measured the reef.
Coral cover was reportedly higher in 2021 than at any point since measurements began in 1986. It remained at high levels through 2022 and 2023, reaching a new all-time high in 2024.
In 2025, the reef experienced a drop in coral cover from its highest recorded level, but this year still ranked as the fourth-best in four decades of measurement. Recent data indicates coral is growing again in the north and centre, and is stable in the south, partly due to a late monsoon cooling the water.
The main spending with a proven impact on coral cover is addressing crown-of-thorns starfish populations, which consume hard coral. This spending is estimated to have delivered half a percentage point more coral cover, which is not considered the primary reason for the reef's 10 to 25 percentage point rebound.