Key facts
- Nearly all shallow-water coral reefs face ecosystem collapse before 2075 due to global heating.
- 96% of the planet's reefs are at risk, up from 24% currently critically endangered.
- Reefs support a quarter of all known marine species and hundreds of millions of people.
- Scientists urge rapid cuts to fossil fuel use and strong local conservation action.
- The assessment assumed a 2.7C global heating scenario by century-end.
- The western Galápagos coral reefs have already collapsed.
Almost every shallow-water coral reef on the planet faces a high risk of ecosystem collapse before 2075 due to global heating, according to an assessment by United Nations nature advisers. The report indicates that 96% of reefs are at risk when the impacts of global heating are considered, compared to 24% that are already critically endangered across over 80 countries. Coral reefs, known as the rainforests of the sea, support a quarter of all known marine species and provide food, coastal protection, and tourism revenue for hundreds of millions of people. While overfishing, pollution, and coastal development have already caused declines, global heating is identified as the primary driver of future collapse. The assessment assumed a middle-of-the-road emissions pathway leading to about 2.7C of global heating by the end of the century. Scientists described the findings as a "wake-up call" and urged decisive action, including ambitious emissions reductions and stronger conservation efforts, to give coral reefs a chance to recover.