IUCN flags extreme risk to coral reefs
Almost all shallow-water coral reefs now face extinction risk, study warns
Friday, 23 October 2026
Photo by Erick Morales Oyola on Unsplash
Warm-up
- What do coral reefs provide to people and coasts?
- Have you ever snorkelled or dived on a reef? What did you see?
- Which climate impacts worry you most, and why?
Vocabulary
- classify
- to put things into set groups based on shared features
- assessment
- a careful study to judge a situation or risk
- critically endangered
- at the highest risk level before likely extinction
- extinction
- the complete disappearance of a species or system
- bleaching
- a stress process where corals lose colour and vital algae
- vulnerable
- easily harmed or damaged; open to risk
- biodiversity
- the variety of living species in an ecosystem
- resilience
- the ability to recover after damage or stress
Reading
Listen to this story
British EnglishAlmost all of the world’s shallow-water coral reefs face an extremely high risk of collapse, according to a global assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The study classified 96 percent of assessed reef systems as critically endangered, meaning extinction of entire reef ecosystems is possible by 2075. Corals are heat‑sensitive and vulnerable to human‑driven warming, which has made mass bleaching more frequent and intense.
Using a middle‑of‑the‑road climate scenario that projects about 2.7C of warming by 2100, it also noted pressure from a recent “super” El Niño. Famous systems such as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Triangle, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and reefs in the Red Sea are all listed as critically endangered. Reefs buffer coasts from storms, support tourism and fisheries, and host rich biodiversity.
Related findings deepen concern: an IUCN‑linked study reported that nearly 44 percent of reef‑building coral species face elevated extinction risk, and a survey last year found harmful bleaching on about 84 percent of reefs. Yet the IUCN says reefs are not yet lost. Some pockets show resilience and can bounce back after severe events, so faster cuts to warming and protection of local waters could still help them endure.
Comprehension
- Who carried out the global assessment of coral reefs?
- What share of assessed reef systems were classified as critically endangered?
- Which climate scenario did the assessment use, and what warming does it project?
- Name two famous reef systems listed as critically endangered.
- Why does the IUCN still say reefs are not yet lost?
Grammar focus
Three-word phrasal-prepositional verbs
Verb + particle + preposition (e.g., live up to). These are fixed and inseparable: the object comes after the preposition (They live up to promises). (Examples constructed.)
- Authorities must crack down on illegal coastal dumping.
- Projects must live up to conservation promises.
Grammar exercise
Circle the correct option in each sentence.
- Scientists came up (against / with) fierce bleaching.
- Officials must face up (to the risks / the risks up to).
- Reserves make up (losses up for / for losses).
- Projects cut down (waste down on / on waste).
- During El Niño, managers ran (supplies out of / out of supplies).
Discussion
- Which reef benefits matter most for your country, and why?
- What local actions could reduce bleaching or help reefs recover?
- Do stark numbers motivate action or cause fatigue? Explain.
- Should tourism rules change near reefs? What would be fair?
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