Nearly half of reef-building corals face elevated relative risk of extinction.

Nearly half (44%) of assessed reef-building coral species are classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List due to climate change-related risks.

• Why it matters: Coral reefs provide vital ecological, economic, and social benefits but face increasing threats from climate-driven warming and bleaching events, risking global biodiversity.
• What they did: The reassessment analyzed 892 species, using proxies like coral cover trends and projected bleaching under SSP2-4.5 over three decades, with trait-based vulnerability estimates.
• The result: Findings highlight that most threatened species are at risk from thermal stress, emphasizing the need to limit warming to preserve coral biodiversity and reef ecosystem functions.