Coral die-off marks Earth's first climate 'tipping point', scientists say

"Surging temperatures worldwide have pushed coral reef ecosystems into a state of widespread decline, marking the first time the planet has reached a climate 'tipping point', researchers announced today. They also say that without rapid action to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, other systems on Earth will also soon reach planetary tipping points, thresholds for profound changes that cannot be rolled back."

""We can no longer talk about tipping points as a future risk," says Steve Smith, a social scientist at the University of Exeter, UK, and a lead author on a report released today about how close Earth is to reaching roughly 20 planetary tipping points. "This is our new reality." Temperature spike Led by Smith and other scientists at the University of Exeter, the report assesses the risk of breaching tipping points such as ice-sheet collapse, rising seas and dieback of the Amazon rainforest."

Surging global temperatures have pushed coral reef ecosystems into widespread decline and caused the planet to reach a climate tipping point for corals. Warming waters triggered bleaching by forcing corals to expel symbiotic algae that supply nutrients, oxygen and vibrant colours, driving a fourth global bleaching event that began in January 2023 and affected more than 84% of the planet's coral ecosystems. Risk assessments identify roughly 20 planetary tipping points, including ice-sheet collapse, sea-level rise and Amazon rainforest dieback. Without rapid greenhouse-gas emission cuts, additional Earth systems will likely cross irreversible thresholds, while social and economic shifts toward clean energy show potential positive tipping dynamics.

Read at Nature