IUCN Assessment Finds Nearly All Shallow-Water Reefs Face Extremely High Risk
IUCN finds 96% of assessed coral reefs Critically Endangered, with nearly all shallow-water reefs at extremely high risk by 2075.
Event / Environment
Coral Reef Extinction Risk 2026
The IUCN released its first global assessment of shallow-water coral reefs, classifying 96% of 127 reef ecosystems across more than 80 countries and territories as Critically Endangered. The assessment projects near-total loss of these reefs by 2075 under the IPCC intermediate warming scenario. Climate-driven thermal stress is identified as the most persistent threat, with pollution, overfishing and overtourism also contributing. The assessment was published during COP17 Biodiversity in Yerevan, Armenia.
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2026-10-22 to 2026-10-26 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 22 Oct, 19:55 UTC
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What happened
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IUCN assessment finds nearly all shallow-water coral reefs face extremely high risk of disappearing by 2075
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