IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: Coral Reefs of East Asia

Georg Valentin Flückiger, Danwei Huang, Ray Jing Tong, James Philip de Vera Cabatbat, Rickdane Gomez, Lucas Yutaka Kimura, Chin Soon Lionel Ng, Tadashi Kimura, Karenne Tun, Loke Ming Chou, Hui Huang, Jiansheng Lian, Lintao Huang, Lei Jiang, Apple Pui Yi Chui, Put Ang Jr., Chaolun Allen Chen, Ya-Yi Huang, Chao-Yang Kuo, Takashi Nakamura, Yuko Kitano, Taihun Kim, Heung-sik Park, Frederick Chong, Leonora Yeo, Ouk Vibol, Rikoh Manogar Siringoringo, Giyanto Giyanto, Muhammad Abrar, Rizkie Satriya Utama, Yang Amri Affendi, Zarinah Waheed, Hin Boo Wee, Zau Lunn, Cleto Lema Nañola Jr., Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez, Rhea Mae Luciano, Tai Chong Toh, Thamasak Yeemin, Makamas Sutthacheep, Van Long Nguyen, Minh Quang Thai, Si Tuan Vo, Franz Smith, Mishal Gudka

East Asian coral reefs extend from 13.9°S to 31.0°N across 16 countries and territories, covering an estimated 75,765 km² of shallow coral reef habitat, representing 30.3% of the global coral reef extent and encompassing 25 coral reef ecoregions. Of this, 35,620 km² of mapped coral reef was assessed in this study.
The region hosts the worldwide highest diversity of corals, invertebrates and fish, notably in the Coral Triangle, as well as the highest area of coral reefs and is characterized by an extraordinary level of endemism.
These ecosystems face increasing pressure from unsustainable fishing practices, coastal development, maritime pollution, rising sea levels and climate change.
The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems assessment, drawing on reef monitoring data from 1983 to 2025 compiled through the GCRMN East Asia network, combined with data obtained from the MERMAID data portal and the Reef Life Survey dataset, found that coral reefs within all of the 25 ecoregions assessed are at a high risk of collapse and are classified as Critically Endangered across all criteria. This overall result was primarily driven by future ocean warming projections. Based on historical declines and present conditions alone, 22 ecoregions are assessed as threatened, with five of them considered Critically Endangered. This was mainly due to recurrent heat stress as well as depleted parrotfish and grouper populations. These results emphasize the urgent need for climate mitigation and the promotion of sustainable fishing practices to safeguard the region’s coral reefs.