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Super El Nino a 'terrifying' threat to coral reefs, UN expert warns

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Neutral summary

David Obura, chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), described the threat from the exceptionally strong El Nino to the world's coral reefs as "terrifying." The marine biologist said the unusual weather pattern building strength in the tropical Pacific adds "a terrifying level of additional risk" on top of the existing threat from climate change, which is heating the oceans and increasing the frequency of damaging bleaching events. Obura led a major study published Thursday in the journal "Nature" that found 44% of the world's reef-building coral species are now threatened with extinction. Researchers warn the true figure is likely to be even higher. According to the study, by 2020 nearly half of all coral species were at high risk of extinction, mainly due to climate change. Future assessments may reveal even more alarming data regarding extinction risks among coral species.

How it was framed

Outlets: 5. Countries: 5. Facts in the shared core: 5.

Publication timeline

  1. · Inquirer.net (outlet profile)

    El Nino a 'terrifying' threat to coral reefs: UN biodiversity expert. Paris, France—A super El Nino fuelling record ocean temperatures poses a “terrifying” threat to the world’s fragile coral reef…

  2. · Times of India (outlet profile)

    ‘Collapse could be precipitous’: Super El Niño could push coral reefs to extinction. Researchers warn that the ongoing super El Niño could further endanger already vulnerable coral species. The rise in ocean temperature…

  3. · Phys.org (outlet profile)

    El Niño a 'terrifying' threat to coral reefs: UN biodiversity expert. A super El Niño fueling record ocean temperatures poses a "terrifying" threat to the world's fragile coral reefs, the chair of the U.N.'s expert natu…

  4. · Phys.org (outlet profile)

    Better together? Coral fusion could throw bleached reefs a lifeline. When corals are stressed by pollution, high water temperatures or other environmental changes, they can lose the microscopic algae living inside them…

  5. · Phys.org (outlet profile)

    Nearly half of reef-building coral species face higher risk of extinction. A University of Portsmouth scientist has helped lead a major global study, which finds that 44% of the world's reef-building coral species are n…

  6. · O Globo (outlet profile)

    Com 'intensidade excepcional', El Niño é ameaça 'aterradora' para corais, diz especialista. O atual fenômeno El Niño, de intensidade excepcional, representa uma ameaça "aterradora" para os valiosos recifes de coral do m…

  7. · franceinfo (outlet profile)

    "Chaque dixième de degré" compte : des scientifiques alertent à nouveau sur le danger du réchauffement océanique pour les coraux. Nous savons que les coraux sont durement touchés par le réchauffement climatique et l'aci…

Factual core

  • A super El Niño fueling record ocean temperatures poses a 'terrifying' threat to the world's fragile coral reefs.
  • Nearly half of reef-building coral species face a higher risk of extinction.
  • Rising ocean temperatures have led to record coral bleaching events.
  • David Obura, chair of the UN's IPBES expert nature panel, made the warning.
  • Corals are severely affected by climate change and ocean acidification.

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