The first-ever global assessment of these vibrant underwater ecosystems paints a grim picture: Climate change projections put 96 percent of shallow-water reefs at the highest level of threat

October 26, 2026 12:00 p.m.

Coral reefs support roughly a quarter of all marine species. Mathilde Maslin

The world’s shallow-water coral reefs are in trouble: If climate change continues unchecked, most of these vital ecosystems could collapse within the next 50 years, experts predict.

On October 22, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Ecosystems released its first global assessment of shallow-water reefs. The findings paint a grim picture.…