“Global coral reef ecosystems at risk of collapse within 50 years” <IUCN>

Caused by rising sea temperatures and heat waves due to climate change

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Hyun Young-bok = Research has shown that the coral reef ecosystem, which has the highest biodiversity in the world, is at risk of collapse within 50 years due to rising sea temperatures and heat waves caused by climate change.

According to the Associated Press on the 22nd (local time), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced at the United Nations (UN) biodiversity conference held in Albania that day that 96% of shallow-water coral reef ecosystems are already in serious danger of extinction and could disappear by 2075.

IUCN conducted the first coral reef ecosystem red list assessment targeting 127 tropical and subtropical ecoregions and 188,362㎢ of coral reef areas around the world and released these survey results.

In this study, the world-famous Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Coral Triangle in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia, and the Red Sea coral reefs were all found to be in serious danger of extinction.

“Coral reefs have shown remarkable resilience even in the face of devastating bleaching events,” said Mishal Gudkar, who led the study. “We must do everything we can to ensure that coral reefs will survive into the future.”

Climate change has been identified as the most persistent threat factor causing the collapse of coral reef ecosystems.

In another research report published in the academic journal Nature a week ago, IUCN also revealed that 44% of the coral fish species that form coral reefs are at risk of extinction due to climate change.

Coral reefs, known as the 'rainforests of the sea', are home to a quarter of marine life and also serve as a buffer zone that protects the coast from coastal erosion and storms.

“We must ambitiously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work to protect and restore coral reef ecosystems,” said IUCN Director-General Gretel Aguilar. “We must also continue to invest in resilient coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.”