The Earth is coming off its hottest year on record, intensifying the destruction caused by hurricanes, wildfires, heat waves and drought. Oceans remain alarmingly warm, triggering the fourth global coral bleaching event on record. Concentrations of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere have reached levels not seen on this planet in millions of years, while humanity's demand for the fossil fuels that produce this pollution is at an all-time high.

But at the same time, the world may be closer than ever to turning the corner on coral climate change efforts. (Umair Irfan, more at vox.com)