The future of the oceans can be playing at this time. Since Monday and throughout the week, leaders around the world have met in Nice on the occasion of the United Nations Conference on the Ocean, which aims to “support urgent and more advanced action to maintain and last the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.” A difficult issue to address without mentioning coral reefs, strongly threatened by climate change. To the point of disappearing? Not really, and we explain why.
If we adhere to the latest reports of the Intergovernmental Group of Climate Evolution (IPCC), from 70 to 90 % of corals should disappear if the world reaches 1.5 ° C of global warming compared to the pre -industrial era, and 99 % if the 2 ° C threshold is crossed. Predictions to be nuanced according to Serge Plans, CNRS researcher at the Islands Research Center and Environmental Observatory of …