If humans do not take drastic action to reduce emissions and slow climate change, almost all of the Earth’s coral reefs will be dead in 30 years, according to a new report that outlines ways we can pinpoint which reefs to protect now.
addressing the future of delicate habitats under climate change, presented at the Our Oceans conference on Thursday.
If humans meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and keep emissions to within 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels -- a target the world is currently on track to exceed -- up to 90 per cent of the world’s coral reefs may still be degraded in the next 30 years, the release stated. This new report recommends an expansion of the 50 Reefs initiative by creating “three types of climate change sanctuaries: avoidance, resistance, and recovery refugee.”
“Some reefs have the ability to resist or recover from thermal stress faster than others, and these reefs may serve as sanctuaries under future warming. This is a major new research direction – to find those locations and protect them before they are gone.”