---
title: "New Research: All Coral Reefs May Be Completely Dead by 2100"
description: "All coral reefs across the planet will likely be dead in 80 years — killed by a combination of warming waters and ocean acidification."
date: "2020-02-20"
modified: "2020-02-20"
authors:
  - name: "Jon Christian"
    job_title: "Executive Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/new-research-coral-reefs-completely-dead-2100"
categories:
  - "Climate Change"
  - "Environment"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "climate change"
  - "coral"
  - "ocean acidification"
  - "the digest"
---

# New Research: All Coral Reefs May Be Completely Dead by 2100

![All coral reefs across the planet will likely be dead in 80 years — killed by a combination of warming waters and ocean acidification.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/coral-reefs-completely-dead-2100.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Toby Hudson/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Reefer Badness

According to new research from the University of Hawaii Manoa, all coral reefs across the planet will likely be dead in 80 years — killed by a combination of warming waters and ocean acidification.

"By 2100, it’s looking quite grim," [said Renee Setter](<https://news.agu.org/press-release/warming-acidic-oceans-may-nearly-eliminate-coral-reef-habitats-by-2100/>), a biogeographer at the university.

## Coral Fang

In [research presented](<https://www.agu.org/Ocean-Sciences-Meeting/>) at an ocean science conference this week, Setter examined worldwide locations where coral might be able to survive the changing ocean.

By 2100, she found, there will be almost no habitable locations left. In fact, she said, up to 90 percent of coral reefs will likely be dead in just 20 years.

## Death Wave

In the event this news inspired you to do something about it, well, we won't be the ones to stop you **—** but Setter also emphasized that efforts by individuals won't be enough to save the reefs.

"Trying to clean up the beaches is great and trying to combat pollution is fantastic. We need to continue those efforts," Setter said in a press release. "But at the end of the day, fighting climate change is really what we need to be advocating for in order to protect corals and avoid compounded stressors."

**READ MORE:** [Warming, acidic oceans may nearly eliminate coral reef habitats by 2100](<https://news.agu.org/press-release/warming-acidic-oceans-may-nearly-eliminate-coral-reef-habitats-by-2100/>) \[American Geophysical Union\]

**More on coral:** [*This Startup Is Growing Coral on Land and Transplanting It Into Damaged Reefs*](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/coral-farm-vita-land-based>)

## Author
I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/jonchristian.net>)