Global coral reef collapse is not inevitable

Noam S. Vogt-Vincent; Lisa C. McManus; Robert J. Toonen

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018

Global coral reef collapse is not inevitable

Noam S. Vogt-Vincent
, Lisa C. McManus
, Robert J. Toonen

University of Oxford
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa

Research output: Contribution to journal › Short survey › peer-review

Abstract

Coral reefs are gravely threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. However, global coral reef collapse is not inevitable, and the status of coral reef tipping points is uncertain. Overstating confidence in coral reef futures damages trust in scientists and reduces the likelihood of desperately needed conservation action.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	571-573
Number of pages	3
Journal	Trends in Ecology and Evolution
Volume	41
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018
State	Published - Jul 2026
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

climate change
coral reef
optimism
tipping point

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10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018

Cite this

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title = "Global coral reef collapse is not inevitable",

abstract = "Coral reefs are gravely threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. However, global coral reef collapse is not inevitable, and the status of coral reef tipping points is uncertain. Overstating confidence in coral reef futures damages trust in scientists and reduces the likelihood of desperately needed conservation action.",

keywords = "climate change, coral reef, optimism, tipping point",

author = "Vogt-Vincent, \{Noam S.\} and McManus, \{Lisa C.\} and Toonen, \{Robert J.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",

year = "2026",

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doi = "10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018",

language = "English",

volume = "41",

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T1 - Global coral reef collapse is not inevitable

AU - Vogt-Vincent, Noam S.

AU - McManus, Lisa C.

AU - Toonen, Robert J.

PY - 2026/7

Y1 - 2026/7

N2 - Coral reefs are gravely threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. However, global coral reef collapse is not inevitable, and the status of coral reef tipping points is uncertain. Overstating confidence in coral reef futures damages trust in scientists and reduces the likelihood of desperately needed conservation action.

AB - Coral reefs are gravely threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. However, global coral reef collapse is not inevitable, and the status of coral reef tipping points is uncertain. Overstating confidence in coral reef futures damages trust in scientists and reduces the likelihood of desperately needed conservation action.

KW - climate change

KW - coral reef

KW - optimism

KW - tipping point

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105039327742

U2 - 10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018

DO - 10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018

M3 - Short survey

C2 - 42167956

AN - SCOPUS:105039327742

SN - 0169-5347

VL - 41

SP - 571

EP - 573

JO - Trends in Ecology and Evolution

JF - Trends in Ecology and Evolution

IS - 7

ER -

Global coral reef collapse is not inevitable

Abstract

Keywords

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