I’ve been saying for a long time that we’ve lost the coral reefs – not today, but with heating accelerating, it’s a certainty we face. Unfortunately this week, we found out officially that we have hit the tipping point and face the widespread death of the coral reefs.
Discussed in the Global Tipping Points Report 2025, which was produced by 160 scientists from 23 countries, it warns the world is “on the brink” of reaching five other tipping points as global temperatures continue to rise toward 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. More on that in a moment.
When it comes to all the crazy news in the world right now, this is the news that matters most. Since 2023, the world’s reefs have endured the worst mass bleaching event on record as oceans hit record high temperatures, with more than 80% of reefs affected. What this all means is, coral reefs are now pushed beyond what they can cope with.
Coral reefs are an essential habitat for marine species, vital for food security, contribute trillions to the global economy and buffer coastal areas from storms. However, what has bothered me this week is how this is being reported. There is no alarm. Even the scientists discussing it are speaking very gently about this reality.
I get it. No one wants to be the bearer of bad news, because if you do, you’ll get eviscerated by trolls and Botts around the world. It’s brutal out there for anyone speaking up, especially if they are speaking the truth. Everyone wants hope and that means, the true grimness of this news is not being conveyed. I hear journalists say – let’s start with the good news. How is there any good news when it comes to the loss of our glorious coral reefs?
The other side of the discussion (which frustrates me) is the focus on human impact, but not the bigger impact to all life. If we lose the coral reefs, we lose all life that depends on the reefs, and that means (from my point of view) we will ultimately be moving rapidly towards a dead ocean. There can be no other outcome from this tipping point.
At least 25% of all marine life rely on coral reefs for survival, and although coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor, they provide critical habitat, food sources, and protection for a vast number of species.
Beyond the 25% who depend on the reefs, we have ALL the aquatic life that depend on the complete ecosystem of the ocean. This means, the collapse of the coral reefs will set off a catastrophic domino effect throughout the ocean, weakening the entire ecosystem by disrupting food webs, destroying habitats, and eliminating crucial ecosystem services. The ecosystem dependencies in the ocean are not linear but rather form a complex, interconnected web. Therefore, the 25% of marine life that rely directly on reefs are the foundation for much of the ocean’s food chain.
So human food security? Contributing trillions to the global economy? Buffer zones from storms? I think the outcome from this situation is much more dire than anyone is discussing and this is considered irreversible.
There are five more tipping points at risk, but this first one is already enough to change life on this planet as we know it. In case you’re interested, the other five are:
- West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse – this is going faster than most are acknowledging
- Greenland Ice Sheet collapse – we’re watching this happen in real time
- Amazon Rainforest dieback – climate change and deforestation are responsible for this – but hey, we get to eat beef!! The real risk here is the Amazon Rainforest threshold has been revised down to 1.5°C of warming, and well, we’re already here (unofficially of course)
- Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) collapse – there’s lots of talk about when this will happen, but impacts include pushing the Northern Hemisphere into a deep freeze, heating other areas of the planet up, disrupting monsoon seasons, and rising sea levels. It is expected to happen within the lifetimes of people alive today, and some have predicted decades, not the end of the century. So, we wait and see huh?
- Other ice sheets and major ocean currents – around the world, we have other ice sheets and major ocean currents that could tip over and turn everything on its head.
Coverage on this story
- Coral reefs cross survival threshold in Earth’s first major climate tipping point • FRANCE 24
- The planet has entered a ‘new reality’ as it hits its first climate tipping point, report finds | CNN
- Climate tipping points are being crossed, scientists warn ahead of COP30 | Reuters
If you want to stay on top of the stories and research around the planetary crisis, please check this resources page. Updating regularly.
Some other planetary coverage
I know it’s not pleasant to face, but this is where we are, so getting our heads around it, understanding what it means, as well as the scale of change required across our societies to give us any chance at all, is what we must do right now. In the meantime, this isn’t the only big planetary news.
Here’s some more to get updated on:
- Nemo is doomed – Heatwave wipes out clownfish in what was supposed to be a safe haven | National Geographic
- A report for the UK – we don’t want to hit 2°C warming, and it’s expected at the end of this decade, not 2050 – Government told to prepare for 2C warming by 2050
- The equivalent carbon emissions of 200 countries, that’s a tipping point in my mind – CO2 from wildfires increases by 9% as climate crisis supercharges infernos | Wildfires | The Guardian
- Yep, of course we will, and it’s already started – Towns may have to be abandoned due to floods with millions more homes in Great Britain at risk | Environment | The Guardian
- We are using more and more energy. We’re not even pretending to reduce it – Record leap in CO2 fuels fears of accelerating global heating | Greenhouse gas emissions | The Guardian
- Yep, it is – “They Warned Us It Was Speeding Up”: Earth’s Climate Engine Is Shifting So Fast Scientists Fear Glaciers, Storms, and Seasons May Never Return
- Forest loss has increased, driven by subsidies for livestock, monocrops, logging and other extractive industries. At Cop26 in Glasgow it was agreed to have zero deforestation by 2030, however, today the world is 63% off track to reach that goal – we’ve got to stop chopping down the trees and start healing the damage we’ve already done – ‘Dismal’ health of world’s forests is threat to humanity, report warns | Deforestation | The Guardian
- The poop ain’t sinking anymore, and that’s not good for us – The ocean is a carbon toilet. Marine heat waves are clogging it. | Grist
Important watch here too.
I won’t comment on anything else today, because the death of the coral reefs IS the news, so if you want to know what I think about what’s going on in the world beyond this, including my response to the Gaza Peace deal, check out The Shit Show. We covered a lot of ground this week, as always!
If you want to take a spin through the news, click through to the news page below. It provides an opportunity to read the headlines, spend time with what jumps out at you, get a view across the world’s media, which means you can have a balanced overview about what’s going on, and hopefully, it also helps you to deal with the overwhelm.
Visual storytelling
My favorite image after Jane Goodall’s death. I love Steve Irwin too.
Science under siege!
China, China, China. The West just doesn’t get it
I support this nomination
And you might have seen this image on Time. Apparently, a positive story for Trump, but he didn’t like the photo.
Well, some have been having fun with it – Mangina anyone? Keep an eye out, cracking humour.
My content and my friends
It was fabulous having Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki on The Shit Show this week. What an amazing man, on an incredible journey, and he really does lay out the essentials of the crisis. Watch his interview and be inspired. We don’t all need to go on a Yatra for 11 years, but we can all do something. Learn more about the Energy Swaraj Foundationor on the WebsiteEnergy Swaraj Foundation.
Congratulations to Dr David Ko on the launch of his new book, Thriving at Nature’s Pace. You can buy the book here, and if you use this code WSB20, you can get a significant discount. A great economic perspective and guide for young people. Please support David, and everyone else fighting for the future of our planet.
Dig into the news
As always, there’s plenty more to read, listen to or watch, so do click through to the reads at the image below, and a reminder, this platform has articles going back weeks, so have a scan and read/watch/listen to whatever jumps out at you.
Let me know what caught your attention? Or share with me what has your attention now? There’s a lot going on, which means none of us can cover everything. Besides, it’s always great to get feedback so I know I’m delivering something of value.
Cheers
Andrea
All my contact information is here.
If you want to support my work, please share my work, subscribe to my social channels, or at least buy me a coffee here.
The Sh*t Show
The Sh*t Show is a Livestream happening every Friday, where Andrea T Edwards, Dr. David Ko, Richard Busellato and Joe Augustin, as well as special guests, discuss the world’s most pressing issues across all angles of the polycrisis, working to make sense of the extremely challenging and complex times we are all going through, plus what we can do about it. Help us move the needle so we can change the name of the show to something more genteel when (or if) it is no longer a sh*t show.
Uncommon Courage: an invitation
Uncommon Courage is an invitation to be your courageous best self every day. It’s also an antidote to the overwhelm, fear, and rage rolling around the world. But it’s more than a book; it’s an invitation to join an inclusive community that wants to better understand humanities challenges – both global and personal – in order to take courageous action and create a better world for everyone.
You can buy it on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Booktopia, Smashwords, Kobo, Gardners, Odilo, Indie Bound, BookShop by BookTrib and Scribd.
Better yet, order it from your local bookstore, so you can #SupportLocal.
You can read the reviews, including a new five-star review on Book Commentary, another five-star review on ReaderViews, a review on BookTrib, and three more on Booklife, another on Book Commentary and Blue Ink Reviews. I’m also collating reviews on my Website too. Have a look and grateful to everyone who has written or recorded one.
Come and join the conversation in my Facebook Group One Billion People with Uncommon Courage.
Listen in to the Uncommon Courage, the podcast on Apple, Spotify and everywhere podcasts are published.
18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile
Listed by Book Authority in the 100 Best LinkedIn Books of All Time and 22 Best New LinkedIn eBooks To Read In 2021 and 2022 categories. Grab it today if you want to take your professional presence to the next level! When it comes to LinkedIn, it really is time to ask — can you really afford not to have this book in the hands of every employee?
Are you a Social CEO? The Social CEO: How Social Media Can Make You A Stronger Leader.
Want to claim your stage? Unleash Your Voice – Powerful Public Speaking for Every Woman
Feedback
Have I done a great job for you? Can you write a reference on my LinkedIn profile or on my Google Business page? If not for me, why not write one for someone else who inspires you or has helped you? Join the #GivingEconomy.