A new report has found that Western’s Australia’s coral reefs have experienced the most widespread bleaching event on record, with around 2,000 kilometres destroyed due to marine heatwaves between August 2024 and June 2025.
Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) Executive Director Matt Roberts said alarmingly, this damning report did not even fully consider the mass bleaching event at Ningaloo Reef in summer 2025, which was “nothing short of devastating”.
“Just over a year ago, in August 2025, we responded to a report by the Australia Institute of Marine Science following the largest marine heatwave ever recorded in Australia,” Mr Roberts said.
“Now here we are in 2026, and nothing has changed, in fact the situation is worse. While coral reefs are resilient ecosystems, we need to stop burning fossil fuels immediately to halt the impacts of climate change. Our oceans are being pushed to the brink.
“We've seen the Cook Labor government commit to marine parks and marine preservation, but it is all at risk if we don't stop the cause of these marine heatwaves by taking decisive action to reduce carbon emissions.
“Just last month, the world’s oceans reached a new record-high daily average sea surface temperature of 21.1°C and scientists predict a ‘super El Nino’ will have a significant impact on the state’s far north reefs in the months ahead.
“This follows the lashing of Ningaloo Reef by Cyclone Narelle in March at a time when the reef was as its most vulnerable, trying to recover from the 2025 marine heatwave.
“Sadly, this latest report isn’t surprising. Scientists have been telling us for many years now that at 1.5 degrees of warming we’re set to lose 80-90% of our coral reefs. If we don’t stop fossil fuel expansion it seems that’s exactly where we’re headed.”
Mr Roberts said one of WA’s most unique and ecologically rich coral reefs, Scott Reef - off the North West coast - had survived to date what other connected reefs have not.
“Scott Reef is an incredible ecosystem and home to the endangered dusky sea snake and a genetically distinct population of green sea turtle. The survival of these species during unprecedented marine heatwaves is a testament to the resilience of this reef.
“But Scott Reef is currently under threat from Woodside’s proposed Browse Basin gas export project and carbon dumping plans.
“Climate change caused by carbon emissions remains the greatest threat to WA coral reefs and all reefs globally,” Mr Roberts said.
“Scott Reef is surviving and showing incredible resilience against climate threats and cyclones but Woodside’s plans to sink 50 gas wells around the reef would be a fatal blow.
“Scientists have warned that the 1.6 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases Woodside’s Browse project will produce will result in an additional 30 million more coral dying in every marine heatwave at the Great Barrier Reef.
“This recent report shows that WAs treasured reefs are already under serious threats from marine heatwaves. Imagine what an additional 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon from Woodside’s Browse proposal would do to them.
“Browse emissions are equivalent to nearly 20-times WA’s annual emissions, and nearly 3.5 times Australia’s total annual emissions; our climate and oceans cannot afford this project to go ahead.
“We need to back a fast, fair energy transition and reject any calls for more fossil fuel extraction. Our reefs are being bleached at catastrophic rates, and the gas industry should be held to account now, not decades ahead when it’s too late to act.”
ENDS
Media contact: John Cooke – 0433 679 780