Coral reefs face high risk of disappearance

Nearly all coral reefs in the world's shallow waters are at an "extremely high" risk of disappearing by 2075 due to climate change, according to a warning from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on October 22. The IUCN classified 96 percent of these reefs as "critically endangered."

Coral reefs support marine life and people

Superorganism animals, corals host a quarter of all marine life and are essential for nearly 1 billion people. They are highly vulnerable to climate change and the marine heatwaves it causes. Corals consist of individual organisms called "polyps" that live in a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae called zooxanthellae.

Coral bleaching and its causes

The algae provide corals with nutrients through photosynthesis and give them their color. When water temperatures rise, the polyps expel the algae, leading to coral bleaching. This process can ultimately result in the death of the coral if it persists over time.

Experts highlight both risk and resilience

Mishal Gudka, a scientific officer at the IUCN, described the situation as a "warning signal," emphasizing that while the risk of coral reef collapse is growing, this should not lead to despair. He noted that some coral reefs have shown a remarkable ability to recover after severe bleaching events.

Coral tipping point already reached

A report by 160 scientists indicates that the average tipping point for corals is around 1.2 degrees Celsius of global warming, a threshold that has already been crossed. In the Caribbean, hard coral coverage has declined by 48 percent since 1980, according to the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. Hard corals now occupy only half the underwater space they did less than fifty years ago.