More Coral Reefs May Survive Climate Change Than Scientists Once Thought
Key takeaways
- New research shows more reefs may be able to survive climate change than previously thought.
- In a landmark study unveiled Tuesday, scientists have identified more than 64,000 square miles of coral reefs they believe have the potential to endure future warming.
- “Coral reefs are often framed as ecosystems beyond saving,” said Emily Darling, a co-author of the study and director of coral reefs at the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.
Republish. A resilient coral reef in Siquijor, Philippines. New research shows more reefs may be able to survive climate change than previously thought. Credit: Steve De Neef Related As Global Warming Threatens Corals Worldwide, Woods Hole Scientists Search for ‘Super Reefs’ That Can Take the Heat Coral Reefs in French Polynesia Are Stuck Between Life and Death Scientists Outplant Experimental ‘Flonduran’ Corals in Florida’s Dry Tortugas National Park Share This Article Republish Most Popular Trump’s EPA Unlawfully Cancelled Environmental Justice Grants, Judge Rules An Old Well Gushed Waste, Not Oil, in a Small West Texas Town Hoover Dam Approaches a Hydropower Cliff For years, the outlook for coral reefs has been increasingly bleak. Mass coral bleaching events caused by severe marine heatwaves have fueled repeated warnings that reefs are rapidly on an irreversible path of decline. But new research is challenging that narrative.
In a landmark study unveiled Tuesday, scientists have identified more than 64,000 square miles of coral reefs they believe have the potential to endure future warming. Spanning 71 countries and 100 territories, these resilient reefs make up roughly a third of the world s reef systems.
“Coral reefs are often framed as ecosystems beyond saving,” said Emily Darling, a co-author of the study and director of coral reefs at the Wildlife Conservation Society. “Our research shows that there are three times more reefs that may be capable of surviving the climate crisis than previously thought.”