UN 
Prof. Dr. Lisa Levin, a faculty member at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego in the USA, noted that the increase in ocean temperatures as a result of global warming forces marine organisms to migrate to colder regions and this reshapes ocean ecosystems.
According to data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in the first 10 months of 2024, the global average temperature was measured 1.94 degrees above the average of the last 175 years, while the global average sea surface water temperature was 0.99 degrees above the average. The first 10 months of the year were recorded as the warmest January-October period in terms of both land and sea surface water temperatures.
Prof. Dr. Levin answered AA correspondent’s questions about the consequences of warming in the seas in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, where the United Nations Climate Summit (COP29) was held.
Stating that global warming has reached almost 1.5 degrees and that it is in the hands of people to change the course, Levin emphasized that in the years under the influence of the El Nino weather event, the effects of global warming have also intensified and the warming in the oceans has increased, and despite the expectations that these effects will decrease in the transition to the La Nina period, this effect has not yet been seen in many regions.
Stating that higher frequency of heat waves can be seen on land and at sea and that this warming will cause serious impacts on the marine ecosystem, Levin said: “Ocean warming leads to water expansion and sea level rise. Sea level rise will continue to pose a threat of habitat loss on the coasts and flooding for people living in coastal areas.”
Pointing out that many sea creatures cannot adapt to the warming in the oceans, Levin said that if the trend continues, these creatures will either die or have to migrate elsewhere.
– Loss of fish also leads to loss of income
Explaining that this situation is already seen in corals, and that corals that do not have the mobility to move away from warm regions are gradually darkening, Levin said that although coral reefs are seriously damaged, it is unlikely that the entire ecosystem will be lost, and that there are coral reefs in the Red Sea that can survive in warm waters.
Levin mentioned that migratory animals are moving northward, while there are also migrations from west to east across the Pacific: “For example, tuna migrations are definitely a result of global warming. Some countries are losing these fish. The situation with the migration of fish is not limited to the loss of food. Some peoples in the Pacific islands derive a large part of their national income from the sale of tuna to other countries. If they lose these fish, they will also lose their income.”
Pointing out that warming also leads to a decrease in oxygen levels in the oceans, Levin noted that this situation means habitat loss for many animals and that these animals move towards shallower waters.
Warning that the consequences of this redistribution in the ocean ecosystem could be severe, Levin continued his words as follows:
“The migration of ocean creatures affects other species around them, and so we are seeing a reshaped ecosystem. “There are studies showing that crabs are migrating to Antarctica, which used to be cold for them but is now warmer. These are creating big changes in seafloor ecosystems. We are already seeing a loss of biodiversity. We know that animals can adapt to the changes brought about by warming oceans, but this is a rapid warming that they have never experienced before. So I don’t think animals that can’t live in variable environments will adapt easily. There are animals that live in highly variable ecosystems, that can have a wider range of tolerance, and maybe they can adapt.”
– “I hope there will be more focus at COP30”
Emphasizing that the problem of adaptation is related to food in some cases and that many species, especially those with sufficient food, can have the energy to fight ocean acidification, Levin reported that another problem growing with the effect of ocean warming is invasive species. Levin stated that this situation will continue to be seen and the existence of these species should be accepted.
Levin criticized that the main agenda item of the COP29 was financing and therefore the warming in the oceans as a result of climate change was not focused much, and expressed his hope that this issue will be focused more on since the COP30 will be held in Brazil.
Source : AA
