A stark reality confronts our ocean ecosystems as 44% of reef-building coral species now face extinction, according to the latest IUCN Red List assessment announced at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. This marks a sharp increase from 2008 when one-third of coral species were threatened. The Current State of Coral Decline The comprehensive evaluation of 892 warm-water reef-building coral species reveals accelerating deterioration of these marine ecosystems. “As world leaders gather at the UN climate conference in Baku, this global coral assessment vividly illustrates the severe impacts of our rapidly changing climate on life on Earth,” states IUCN Director General Dr. … Continue reading IUCN Report at COP29 Reveals 44% of Coral Species Facing Extinction as Climate Threats Push Reefs to the Brink