The *Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2020* report, produced by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) under the auspices of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), provides a comprehensive analysis of the status and trends of coral reefs worldwide. The report is based on a global dataset containing nearly 2 million observations from over 12,000 sites in 73 countries, spanning more than 40 years from 1978 to 2019. Key findings include: - **Global Trends**: Large-scale coral bleaching events, primarily caused by elevated sea surface temperatures (SST), have been the primary disturbance to coral reefs. The 1998 event alone killed approximately 8% of the world's coral, and subsequent events have prevented coral cover from recovering. - **Regional Impact**: The Indian Ocean, Japan, and the Caribbean were significantly impacted by the 1998 bleaching event, with smaller impacts in other regions. Since 2010, almost all regions have shown a decline in average hard coral cover, while most regions have seen an increase in algae cover. - **East Asian Seas Region**: This region, which includes the Coral Triangle and contains 30% of the world's coral reefs, has shown distinct different trends. Coral cover was higher in 2019 than in 1983, and algae cover has progressively decreased, resulting in a higher ratio of coral to algae. - **SST Anomalies**: Strong positive SST anomalies correspond with major episodes of coral decline, with short, sharp anomalies causing acute declines and protracted anomalies leading to long-term declines. - **Conservation and Management**: The report emphasizes the importance of maintaining the integrity and resilience of coral reef ecosystems for the well-being of tropical coastal communities and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report highlights the need for urgent and collective action to reduce pressures and build reef resilience, including addressing climate change, local pollution, and overfishing. It also underscores the role of science in informing effective management and conservation efforts.The *Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2020* report, produced by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) under the auspices of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), provides a comprehensive analysis of the status and trends of coral reefs worldwide. The report is based on a global dataset containing nearly 2 million observations from over 12,000 sites in 73 countries, spanning more than 40 years from 1978 to 2019. Key findings include: - **Global Trends**: Large-scale coral bleaching events, primarily caused by elevated sea surface temperatures (SST), have been the primary disturbance to coral reefs. The 1998 event alone killed approximately 8% of the world's coral, and subsequent events have prevented coral cover from recovering. - **Regional Impact**: The Indian Ocean, Japan, and the Caribbean were significantly impacted by the 1998 bleaching event, with smaller impacts in other regions. Since 2010, almost all regions have shown a decline in average hard coral cover, while most regions have seen an increase in algae cover. - **East Asian Seas Region**: This region, which includes the Coral Triangle and contains 30% of the world's coral reefs, has shown distinct different trends. Coral cover was higher in 2019 than in 1983, and algae cover has progressively decreased, resulting in a higher ratio of coral to algae. - **SST Anomalies**: Strong positive SST anomalies correspond with major episodes of coral decline, with short, sharp anomalies causing acute declines and protracted anomalies leading to long-term declines. - **Conservation and Management**: The report emphasizes the importance of maintaining the integrity and resilience of coral reef ecosystems for the well-being of tropical coastal communities and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report highlights the need for urgent and collective action to reduce pressures and build reef resilience, including addressing climate change, local pollution, and overfishing. It also underscores the role of science in informing effective management and conservation efforts.