A major report led by scientists from the University of Exeter, involving 160 experts globally, asserts that the Earth has passed its first catastrophic climate tipping point: extensive dieback of warm-water coral reefs.
The report warns that reefs, vital for marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods, are now exposed to conditions beyond their resilience. The global mean temperature has already hit around 1.4 °C above preindustrial levels—well past the 1.2 °C threshold identified for reef collapse.
Other ecosystems are also nearing tipping points, such as the Amazon rainforest, polar ice sheets, and major ocean current patterns. The findings emphasize that the repercussions of continued warming may become irreversible in certain regions.
The authors call for urgent global action: deep cuts in emissions, robust protection of existing reefs, and local management to reduce stresses (pollution, overfishing). While some positive “tipping” for renewable energy adoption offers hope, the study stresses that time is running out to prevent widespread ecological collapse.
For coral-rich nations like Bangladesh, the Maldives, and India, this is a stark warning—local reefs may be lost, with consequences for fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection.