Nearly all shallow-water coral reef ecosystems globally are at high risk of ecological collapse by 2075, according to the first coral reef assessment by the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE).
The assessment, involving over 250 experts, evaluated coral reefs across 127 ecoregions. It found that 24% of coral reefs are already critically endangered. When projected heat stress from climate change is factored in, 96% are predicted to be critically endangered within the next 50 years. The Western Galapagos Islands coral reef ecosystem has already collapsed.
Heat stress from climate change is identified as the primary threat. This causes coral bleaching, where corals expel vital symbiotic algae, weakening them and potentially leading to death. Coral reefs, though covering less than 1% of the ocean floor, support approximately 25% of marine life.
Source: Mongabay