Thread: Surprise: Coral Reefs Could Resist Climate Doom

Surprise: Coral Reefs Could Resist Climate Doom

By William Teach June 20, 2026 – 7:15 am

The hell you say!

Vast areas of coral reef could resist climate change: study



In the crystalline waters off Kenya’s coast, coral reefs are thriving — evidence of a rare good news story in the battle to protect oceans from the ravages of climate change.

A new study presented at the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa on Tuesday finds that 166,000 square kilometers of the world’s coral reefs — around a third of the total — are particularly “climate-resilient”, meaning they have the potential to survive through major ocean warming events.

The study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and? Macquarie University in Australia challenges the findings of the IPCC, the global authority on climate change, which has stated 70 to 90 percent of coral reefs could die with global warming of 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, and 99 percent at 2 C.

“Our models are showing a much more hopeful future for corals reefs. We predict that there are many climate resilient reefs around the world that will persist over time,” Stacy Jupiter, executive director for marine conservation at WCS, told AFP.

Corals developed in much warmer waters. In fact, corals prefer warmer water. Corals have survived multiple warm and cool periods since the end of the last glacial age, and survived the last glacial age.

Coral “bleaching” occurs when water temperatures rise by a degree or two, stressing the coral’s animal tissues and making them expel algae, turning them white.

But the new study finds many reefs are resilient, either because they exist in cool spots, or because they have evolved to withstand heat, or recover more quickly than most.

Obviously, this still means Doom, and the cult won’t stop yammering about them.

Surprise: Coral Reefs Could Resist Climate Doom » Pirate's Cove