Coral Reefs Under Threat from Climate Warming
New scientific studies reveal that coral reefs are facing severe pressure from global warming, with ocean acidification posing a significant threat to marine life.
According to recent research, warm-water coral reefs have crossed a tipping point due to global heating, resulting in accelerated death rates from repeated mass bleaching events. This impacts hundreds of millions of people who rely on them for fishing, tourism, and protection from rising seas and storm surges.
Global average temperatures are currently 1.3-1.4C above pre-industrial times, exceeding the thermal tipping point of coral reefs, estimated to be 1.2C of warming.
The second Global Tipping Points report warns that if the trend is not reversed, coral reefs around the world will be lost.
This report, released on Monday, was produced by over 160 scientists in 23 countries, led by the Global Systems Institute at the UK’s University of Exeter.
Author's summary: Coral reefs face severe threat from climate warming.