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Assessment finds almost all shallow-water coral reefs at high risk of collapse by 2075

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 5 outlets across the spectrum.

5 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Underwater view of a bleached, pale coral reef with schools of small reef fish above.
Image via New York PostHow images are chosenReport this image

A global assessment by United Nations nature advisers, released Thursday, finds that almost all shallow-water coral reefs face a high risk of ecosystem collapse by 2075, mostly because of global heating. According to the assessment as reported by The Guardian and Deutsche Welle, 96 percent of reef systems across 80 countries are at risk, and The Guardian says the risk includes Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The Associated Press, carried by the New York Post, reports that experts say cutting pollution, overfishing and coastal development can also help reefs survive. The Washington Times reports the same warning of collapse within 50 years, citing warming oceans and heat waves.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. A UN-linked global assessment, released Thursday, finds almost all shallow-water coral reefs face a high risk of ecosystem collapse within about 50 years, by 2075.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Center
    Deutsche Welle
    Right
    New York Post, The Washington Times

  2. The assessment puts 96 percent of the world's coral reef systems at risk, across 80 countries.

    Reported byLeft1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Center
    Deutsche Welle

  3. The main cause cited is global heating, including warming oceans and heat waves.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Center
    Deutsche Welle
    Right
    The Washington Times

  4. The assessment was made by United Nations nature advisers, with the IUCN named as the body behind the study.

    Reported byLeft1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Center
    Deutsche Welle

  5. The Great Barrier Reef is among the reefs facing high risk of collapse, according to the assessment.

    One outletThe Guardian· Left

  6. Experts say efforts to reduce pollution, overfishing and coastal development can help reefs survive, alongside cutting emissions.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report that almost all coral reefs face a high risk of collapse, mostly from warming oceans. The left and center stress the 2075 date and a 96 percent figure, while the right stresses a 50-year window and steps beyond emissions cuts.

  • the left

    2 outlets

    Leads with the 2075 collapse date and credits UN nature advisers, naming global heating as the cause.

    Almost every shallow-water coral reef on the planet faces ecosystem collapse by 2075, UN advisors say
    The GuardianLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    1 outlet

    Leads with a 96 percent figure and calls the reefs critically endangered, crediting the IUCN and naming climate change as the biggest threat.

    96% of world's coral reefs face critical risk of collapse, IUCN warns
    Deutsche WelleCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    2 outlets

    Headlines say a study warns of collapse within 50 years; the Washington Times report stresses warming oceans and heat waves, and the Post's version is an AP report.

    Almost all coral reef ecosystems face risk of collapse in 50 years, study warns
    The Washington TimesRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

Mantle found no loaded language in this coverage. Every headline and opening was checked against Mantle’s published word list, and Mantle’s AI read 4 of the 5 articles in context when it wrote the analysis. Straight reporting often has none.

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

2 outlets

Leads with

  • 2075 collapse date
  • UN nature advisers' assessment
  • global heating
  • Great Barrier Reef
See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • Al Jazeera EnglishLeft

    Almost all shallow-water coral reefs now face extinction risk, study warns

    World authority on threatened wildlife classifies 96 percent of assessed coral reef systems as "critically endangered".

    Read at Al Jazeera English (opens in a new tab)
  • The GuardianLeft

    Almost every shallow-water coral reef on the planet faces ecosystem collapse by 2075, UN advisors say

    Assessment finds global heating is endangering 96% of coral reefs across 80 countries – a figure scientists say should serve as a ‘wake-up call’ Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Almost every shallow-water coral reef on the …

    Read at The Guardian (opens in a new tab)

From the center

1 outlet

Leads with

  • 96 percent of reefs
  • critically endangered reefs
  • climate change as biggest threat
  • IUCN warning
See the headline from the centerHide the headlines
  • Deutsche WelleCenter

    96% of world's coral reefs face critical risk of collapse, IUCN warns

    Almost all of the world’s shallow-water coral reefs are at risk of collapse by 2075, with climate change the biggest threat. A new study found that 96% of reef systems are critically endangered.

    Read at Deutsche Welle (opens in a new tab)

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

  • 50-year timeline
  • warming oceans and heat waves
  • steps beyond emissions cuts
See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Almost all coral reef ecosystems face risk of collapse in 50 years, study warns

    The world's coral reef ecosystems almost all face a high risk of collapse in the next 50 years, mostly due to warming oceans and heat waves, according to a global assessment released Thursday.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRightAssociated Press report

    Almost all coral reef ecosystems face risk of collapse in 50 years, study warns

    Beyond combatting rising global emissions, experts said efforts to reduce pollution, overfishing, and coastal development can help reefs survive.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    The Guardian, Oct 22, 8:00 AM EDT

  • Center

    6 hr 17 min later

    Its first report, Oct 22, 2:18 PM EDT

  • Right

    2 hr 7 min later

    Its first report, Oct 22, 10:08 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The GuardianLeftOct 22, 8:00 AM EDT
  2. New York PostRightOct 22, 10:08 AM EDT
  3. The Washington TimesRightOct 22, 2:00 PM EDT
  4. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 22, 2:18 PM EDT
  5. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 22, 7:32 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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