Current Climate: Big Risks As Oceans Overheat

Plus: Federal funds to boost clean hydrogen; L’Oréal’s search for sustainable ingredients

Ocean temperatures hit a record high in February, threatening corals and coastlines. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said that the average global sea surface temperature reached 69.91 degrees, surpassing the previous record of 69.77 set last August.

Marine scientists warned that a fourth global mass coral bleaching event, driven by these warming waters, is likely unfolding in the Southern Hemisphere. That could result in large swathes of coral reefs dying off, leaving coastlines unprotected from erosion and storms. High ocean temperatures, along with rising air temperatures, could also set the stage for a severe hurricane season. Plus high temperatures pose dangers for fish, especially large ones like sharks, tuna and swordfish that are the ocean’s predators.

While people may think more often about air temperatures, oceans — which cover 70% of the planet — are a vital climate regulator because they soak up heat trapped in the atmosphere by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Even a seemingly small increase in ocean temperatures can be enough to “transform marine biodiversity, change ocean chemistry, raise sea levels and fuel extreme weather,” according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Source: Forbes