For years, the outlook for coral reefs has been increasingly bleak. Mass coral bleaching events caused by severe marine heatwaves have fueled repeated warnings that reefs are rapidly on an irreversible path of decline. But new research is challenging that narrative.
In a landmark study unveiled Tuesday, scientists have identified more than 64,000 square miles of coral reefs they believe have the potential to endure future warming. Spanning 71 countries and 100 territories, these resilient reefs make up roughly a third of the world’s reef systems.
“Coral reefs are often framed as ecosystems beyond saving,” said Emily Darling, a co-author of the study and director of coral reefs at the Wildlife Conservation Society. “Our research shows that there are three times more reefs that may be capable of surviving the climate crisis than previously thought.”
The research, known as the 50 Reefs+ study, includes a scientific paper and a detailed global map of some of the world’s most resilient reefs, created by SkyTruth, a technology nonprofit that uses satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to track environmental threats and protect biodiversity.
Using data from more than 45,000 coral field observations collected between 1960 and 2025, along with climate, oceanographic and human-impact data, researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society and Macquarie University have produced the most detailed global assessment yet of coral reefs that show signs of being able to avoid, resist or recuperate from heat stress and other climate-related disturbances like cyclones.
