Vietnam’s coral reefs are disappearing as warming waters and pollution take their toll
Once-thriving coral reefs off Vietnam’s Nha Trang coast are rapidly deteriorating due to climate change, pollution, and overfishing, leaving marine life struggling to survive.
Yannick Peterhans and Aniruddha Ghosal report for The Associated Press.
In short:
- Vietnam’s coral reefs, part of the biodiverse Coral Triangle, are dying due to rising ocean temperatures, pollution from coastal development, and overfishing.
- Only 1% of Vietnam’s reefs remain healthy, with bleaching events increasing in frequency and intensity, preventing coral recovery.
- Conservation efforts, including marine protected areas and coral nurseries, face challenges from illegal fishing and continued environmental degradation.
Key quote:
“It’s a compounding problem. It takes more than a year for them to fully recover.”
— Clint Oakley, coral researcher at Victoria University of Wellington
Why this matters:
Coral reefs, often called the rainforests of the sea, play an indispensable role in marine biodiversity, supporting a vast array of life while also serving as natural barriers that protect coastal communities from storms and erosion. But these ecosystems are under siege. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification — both consequences of climate change — are weakening coral, making it harder for reefs to recover from bleaching events. Meanwhile, pollution, destructive fishing practices, and unchecked coastal development further accelerate their decline.
Vietnam's plight is emblematic of a global crisis. Around the world, reefs are vanishing at unprecedented rates, leaving marine life struggling to adapt and coastal economies — many of which rely on tourism and fisheries — facing deep uncertainty. The loss of these reefs threatens food security, livelihoods, and the very structure of marine ecosystems that billions of people depend on.
Learn more: UN urges global action to protect coral reefs facing extinction
