The 2025 Global Coral Crisis and Technological Response: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

This arc tracks a planetary-scale ecological crisis and the subsequent 'moonshot' response by the scientific community. It begins with the 2025 global bleaching event, driven by record-high sea surface temperatures and El Niño. The impact was locally devastating for India, where the coral cover in the Lakshadweep archipelago—a critical biodiversity hotspot—plummeted by half. Recognizing that traditional protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was insufficient against thermal stress, the 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative' was launched in early 2026. This initiative marks a pivot toward using advanced genetic engineering to 'build' climate-resilient coral species, representing a high-stakes fusion of biotechnology and environmental conservation.

How This Story Evolved

Global bleaching event (83.7% impact) → Confirmed 50% decline in Lakshadweep → Launch of 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative' using genetic engineering

1. 2025-04-24: Global Coral Bleaching Event 2025
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   UPSC Angle: Global coral bleaching event impacting reefs in Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

   Key Facts:

   • 83.7% of coral reef areas worldwide are impacted by bleaching
   • Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean reefs are affected
   • NOAA added Alert Levels 3–5 for potential coral mortality risks
2. 2025-07-25: Lakshadweep Coral Cover Reduced by 50%
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Lakshadweep coral cover reduced by 50%; impact of elevated sea temperatures.

   Key Facts:

   • Coral cover in Lakshadweep has declined to half of what it was in 1998.
   • Elevated sea temperatures are the primary driver.
   • Coral reefs are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
3. 2026-02-09: Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative
   More details

   UPSC Angle: 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative' uses genetic engineering for resilient corals.

   Key Facts:

   • The 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative', utilizes advanced genetic engineering to create climate-resilient coral species.

Genesis

Trigger

The Global Coral Bleaching Event of April 24, 2025, where 83.7% of reef areas globally entered critical stress levels.

Why Now

The intensification of El Niño events and global warming pushed sea temperatures 1–2°C above average, surpassing the thermal threshold corals can survive.

Historical Context

Corals have been protected under Schedule I of India's Wildlife Protection Act since 1972, but legal protection failed to stop mass mortality caused by rising ocean heat, leading to the 1998-2025 decline.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-04-24] NOAA confirms 83.7% global impact and introduces Alert Levels 3-5.

   It signaled that the 2025 event was not a routine occurrence but a terminal threat to existing reef structures.

   Before: Bleaching was viewed as a periodic threat. After: It was recognized as a permanent existential crisis requiring technological intervention.

2. [2026-02-09] Launch of the Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative.

   Marked the official shift from passive 'conservation' to active 'genetic reconstruction' of ecosystems.

   Before: Focus was on preventing local pollution and overfishing. After: Focus shifted to laboratory-based climate adaptation.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)
• Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
• Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

Key Concepts

Coral Bleaching

A process where corals expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues due to thermal stress, turning them white and leaving them vulnerable to starvation.

Current Fact: 83.7% of coral reef areas worldwide were impacted by bleaching in 2025.

Schedule I (WPA 1972)

The highest level of legal protection in India, where species are protected from hunting and trade, with the harshest penalties for violations.

Current Fact: Corals in Lakshadweep are protected under Schedule I, yet faced a 50% decline due to climate factors.

Climate-Resilient Genetic Engineering

The use of biotechnological tools like CRISPR to enhance the heat tolerance of coral host cells or their symbiotic algae.

Current Fact: The 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative' was launched in February 2026 to create these resilient species.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of February 9, 2026, the 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative' has been launched to deploy lab-grown, genetically modified corals in affected zones.

Likely Next

Expect field trials of CRISPR-edited corals in Lakshadweep and the Gulf of Mannar, followed by regulatory debates within the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).

Wildcards

A stronger-than-expected La Niña could temporarily cool waters, providing a recovery window, while potential 'genetic leakage' from engineered corals into wild populations could spark ethical and ecological protests.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
• Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
• Changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna

Essay Angles

• The ethics of 'playing God' through genetic engineering to save ecosystems.
• Climate Change: When traditional conservation reaches its limits.
• The Blue Economy and the cost of losing coral reefs.

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Identified areas with coral reefs (Andaman, Gulf of Kachchh, Gulf of Mannar). — Lakshadweep is a primary reef site often tested; its 50% decline makes it a high-probability geography question.
• GEAC is constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. — The new Revitalization Initiative using genetic engineering will require GEAC clearance, a fact-check target for Prelims.

Prelims Angles

• Correlation between El Niño and sea surface temperature rises (1–2°C threshold).
• The difference between NOAA Alert Level 2 (mortality likely) and Level 3–5 (mass mortality/80%+ risk).
• Specific locations of coral reefs in India: Lakshadweep (Atolls), Gulf of Mannar (Fringing), Gulf of Kutch, and Andaman (Fringing/Barrier).

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: Discuss the ecological and economic implications of the 2025 mass coral bleaching event. Evaluate whether genetic engineering is a sustainable solution for reef revitalization in India.

Answer Structure: Intro: Define the 2025 crisis (83.7% impact) → Body 1: Impact on Lakshadweep (50% loss) and ecosystem services (fisheries, storm protection) → Body 2: Mechanism of Genetic Engineering in corals (CRISPR, heat tolerance) → Critical Analysis: Ethical concerns, biodiversity risks, and high costs → Way Forward: Integrated approach combining tech-intervention with emission reduction.

Essay Topic: Technological Intervention: The Final Frontier of Environmental Conservation.

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

The 2025 crisis proves that legal protection (WPA 1972) is no longer a shield against climate change, forcing a paradigm shift toward biotechnology for ecosystem survival.

All Events in This Story (3 items)

1. 2025-04-24 [Environment & Ecology] — Global Coral Bleaching Event 2025
   A global coral bleaching event is underway in 2025, impacting 83.7% of coral reef areas worldwide. The Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean reefs are affected, including the Great Barrier Reef and Lakshadweep. NOAA has added Alert Levels 3–5 to signify over 80% potential coral mortality risks.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Global coral bleaching event impacting reefs in Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

   Key Facts:

   • 83.7% of coral reef areas worldwide are impacted by bleaching
   • Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean reefs are affected
   • NOAA added Alert Levels 3–5 for potential coral mortality risks
2. 2025-07-25 [Environment & Ecology] — Lakshadweep Coral Cover Reduced by 50%
   A study revealed that corals in the Lakshadweep archipelago have declined to half of what they were in 1998. Elevated sea temperatures (above 1–2°C from average) associated with El Niño events and global warming are the primary driver of coral bleaching. Coral reefs are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Lakshadweep coral cover reduced by 50%; impact of elevated sea temperatures.

   Key Facts:

   • Coral cover in Lakshadweep has declined to half of what it was in 1998.
   • Elevated sea temperatures are the primary driver.
   • Coral reefs are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
3. 2026-02-09 [Science & Technology] — Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative
   The 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative' gaining traction as of February 9, 2026, utilizes advanced genetic engineering to create climate-resilient coral species, addressing the devastating impact of climate change on coral ecosystems.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative' uses genetic engineering for resilient corals.

   Key Facts:

   • The 'Coral Reef Revitalization Initiative', utilizes advanced genetic engineering to create climate-resilient coral species.