IUCN Warns Global Coral Reefs Face Collapse by 2075

IUCN WARNS GLOBAL CORAL REEFS FACE COLLAPSE BY 2075

WHY IN NEWS ?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has warned that nearly all shallow-water coral reefs face an extremely high risk of collapse by 2075. Its global assessment classified 96% of coral reef systems as critically endangered, highlighting the growing impacts of climate change and human activities.

IUCN ASSESSMENT: STATUS OF GLOBAL CORAL REEFS

• Global Assessment: The IUCN assessed 127 tropical and subtropical coral reef systems, covering approximately 188,362 square kilometres, in its first global assessment of this kind.
• Risk Classification: Around 96% of the world’s coral reef systems were classified as critically endangered, indicating an extremely high risk of ecosystem collapse.
• Collapse Projection: Under the assessment’s climate scenario, nearly all shallow-water coral reefs could face an extremely high risk of collapse by 2075.
• Major Ecosystems: Threatened reef systems include Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System in the Caribbean and coral reefs of the Red Sea.
• Ecological Consequences: Reef collapse occurs when reef-building hard corals largely disappear and are replaced by algae, rubble and sponges, disrupting marine habitats and biodiversity.

CAUSES, IMPACTS AND CONSERVATION CHALLENGES

• Ocean Warming: Climate change is the most consistent threat to coral reefs, as rising ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, weakening corals and increasing mortality.
• Emission Trajectory: The report highlighted projections of approximately 7°C warming above pre-industrial levels under its selected climate scenario, while the UN warned of substantial warming under existing commitments.
• Overfishing Pressure: Overexploitation of herbivorous fish, including parrotfish, disrupts ecological balance by allowing algae to spread. The report linked fishing pressure to threats affecting 63% of coral reef ecosystems.
• Human Activities: Coastal development, marine pollution, tourism pressures and increasingly damaging storms further weaken reef resilience.
• Recovery Potential: The IUCN emphasised that coral reefs can recover from severe bleaching events if environmental pressures are reduced and effective conservation measures are implemented.