Coral reefs face race against time as climate change outpaces their survival, says study
WELLINGTON/SOUTH-EAST ASIA (Xinhua): New research shows coral reefs cannot migrate to cooler waters fast enough to survive climate change, as relocation would take centuries, far outpaced by rapid ocean warming, a New Zealand expert said on Saturday.
A major study, published in Science Advances, finds that even modest cuts to emissions could be crucial for the survival of coral reefs beyond 2100, according to Christopher Cornwall, one of the authors of the study and senior lecturer in marine biology at New Zealand's Victoria University of Wellington.
Earlier theories proposed that tropical coral species could escape warming seas by "expanding poleward and establishing new, higher latitude coral reefs," Cornwall said.
"Unfortunately, while we've confirmed that coral reef range expansion will indeed eventually occur, the biggest coral losses are expected in the next 50 years, meaning these new, higher-latitude reefs won't form fast enough to save most tropical corals," he said.
"Places like northern Florida, southern Australia, and southern Japan might eventually see new reefs, but not soon enough to help many tropical coral species survive the 21st century," he added.
Researchers modeling 50,000 reef sites under three emissions scenarios project that even 1.5-2 degrees Celsius of warming could reduce coral populations by a third by 2100, with recovery taking hundreds of years.
Coral reefs, which support a third of all marine species and millions of livelihoods, especially in low- and middle-income countries, are highly vulnerable to environmental changes, with their decline expected to worsen as climate change continues, the study said.
Researchers stress that mitigating non-climate stressors, such as pollution, could improve resilience in both existing and future reef habitats. - Xinhua
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
6 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Half the world faced an extra month of extreme heat due to climate change
The team identified 67 extreme heat events during the year and found the fingerprint of climate change on all of them. 07 Jun 2025 08:01pm A worker cleans the lines of a cooling tower at an ice factory on a hot summer day in Karachi on May 29, 2025. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP) WASHINGTON - Half the global population endured an additional month of extreme heat over the past year because of manmade climate change, a new study found recently. The findings highlight how the continued burning of fossil fuels is harming health and well-being on every continent, with the effects especially under-recognised in developing countries, the authors said. A man drinks water in Ronda, southern Spain as the country faces the first heatwave of the season, on May 28, 2025. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP) "With every barrel of oil burned, every tonne of carbon dioxide released, and every fraction of a degree of warming, heat waves will affect more people," said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London and co-author of the report. The analysis -- conducted by scientists at World Weather Attribution, Climate Central, and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre -- was released ahead of global Heat Action Day on June 2, which this year spotlights the dangers of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. To assess the influence of global warming, researchers analysed the period from May 1, 2024 to May 1, 2025. They defined "extreme heat days" as those hotter than 90 per cent of temperatures recorded at a given location between 1991 and 2020. Using a peer-reviewed modeling approach, they then compared the number of such days to a simulated world without human-caused warming. The results were stark: roughly four billion people -- 49 per cent of the global population -- experienced at least 30 more days of extreme heat than they would have otherwise. The team identified 67 extreme heat events during the year and found the fingerprint of climate change on all of them. The Caribbean island of Aruba was the worst affected, recording 187 extreme heat days -- 45 more than expected in a world without climate change. The study follows a year of unprecedented global temperatures. 2024 was the hottest year on record, surpassing 2023, while January 2025 marked the hottest January ever. On a five-year average, global temperatures are now 1.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels -- and in 2024 alone, they exceeded 1.5C, the symbolic ceiling set by the Paris climate accord. The report also highlights a critical lack of data on heat-related health impacts in lower-income regions. While Europe recorded more than 61,000 heat-related deaths in the summer of 2022, comparable figures are sparse elsewhere, with many heat-related fatalities misattributed to underlying conditions such as heart or lung disease. The authors emphasised the need for early warning systems, public education, and heat action plans tailored to cities. Better building design -- including shading and ventilation -- and behavioral adjustments like avoiding strenuous activity during peak heat are also essential. Still, adaptation alone will not be enough. The only way to halt the rising severity and frequency of extreme heat, the authors warned, is to rapidly phase out fossil fuels. - AFP More Like This
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Coral reefs face race against time as climate change outpaces their survival, says study
WELLINGTON/SOUTH-EAST ASIA (Xinhua): New research shows coral reefs cannot migrate to cooler waters fast enough to survive climate change, as relocation would take centuries, far outpaced by rapid ocean warming, a New Zealand expert said on Saturday. A major study, published in Science Advances, finds that even modest cuts to emissions could be crucial for the survival of coral reefs beyond 2100, according to Christopher Cornwall, one of the authors of the study and senior lecturer in marine biology at New Zealand's Victoria University of Wellington. Earlier theories proposed that tropical coral species could escape warming seas by "expanding poleward and establishing new, higher latitude coral reefs," Cornwall said. "Unfortunately, while we've confirmed that coral reef range expansion will indeed eventually occur, the biggest coral losses are expected in the next 50 years, meaning these new, higher-latitude reefs won't form fast enough to save most tropical corals," he said. "Places like northern Florida, southern Australia, and southern Japan might eventually see new reefs, but not soon enough to help many tropical coral species survive the 21st century," he added. Researchers modeling 50,000 reef sites under three emissions scenarios project that even 1.5-2 degrees Celsius of warming could reduce coral populations by a third by 2100, with recovery taking hundreds of years. Coral reefs, which support a third of all marine species and millions of livelihoods, especially in low- and middle-income countries, are highly vulnerable to environmental changes, with their decline expected to worsen as climate change continues, the study said. Researchers stress that mitigating non-climate stressors, such as pollution, could improve resilience in both existing and future reef habitats. - Xinhua
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
30 per cent global ocean protection target not enough for marine giants, says study
CANBERRA/MANILA (Xinhua): The global goal to protect 30 per cent of the world's oceans by 2030 will not be sufficient to ensure the survival of marine megafauna such as whales, sharks, turtles, and seals, international scientists have warned. An international study has mapped the world's most critical ocean habitats for marine megafauna, revealing that even ambitious global protection targets will fall short of safeguarding these threatened species, according to a release from the Australian National University (ANU) on Friday. In December 2022, the Convention on Biological Diversity parties agreed to conserve 30 per cent of Earth's land and seas by 2030, but the United Nations Environment Program notes that biodiversity is unevenly protected: while a quarter of ecological regions meet the 30 pe rcent target, some have no coverage, leaving many species and ecosystems insufficiently conserved. The UN-endorsed MegaMove project, involving nearly 400 scientists from over 50 countries, tracked more than 100 marine megafauna species to identify where conservation efforts should focus, the release said. The study, published in Science, found that only 8 percent of oceans are currently protected and warns that the UN High Seas Treaty's 30 per cent target, though supported by 115 countries, will not fully safeguard key habitats for threatened marine giants. ANU Associate Professor Ana Sequeira, the study's lead author and MegaMove founder, explained that the research mapped areas where marine megafauna engage in essential behaviors such as foraging, resting, and migration. These species serve as top predators with crucial roles in marine ecosystems but face mounting threats from human activities, she said. "We found that the areas used by these animals overlap significantly with threats like fishing, shipping, warming temperatures, and plastic pollution," Sequeira said, adding the 30-percent protection goal is helpful but not enough, so further measures are needed to reduce threats beyond protected areas. The study identifies specific mitigation measures beyond protected areas, including modifications to fishing gear, different lighting systems in nets, and ship traffic management schemes. - Xinhua
