The oceans are important players in the climate system and the largest habitat on our planet. But climate change is also affecting the seas, as a special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) now confirms. Can our oceans still be saved?
For several years, questionable studies on the state of the earth’s seas have been accumulating. The oceans are becoming warmer, more acidic and even experiencing true hot flashes . At the same time, low-oxygen “ dead zones ” are spreading in many marine areas. Together with the glut of plastic waste and microplastics, this is already bringing many marine ecosystems to the brink of collapse.
A new IPCC Special Report now confirms the increasing effects of climate change on the oceans and cryosphere – and warns of potentially serious consequences for both the planet and us.
