Global warming and oceans

Global warming threatens to have profound impacts on each of our lives, and an even greater effect on the millions of plants and animals that we share this planet with, including those living in the ocean. Global warming is happening now, but how bad it gets is entirely up to us.

Pollution, primarily from burning fossil fuels and deforestation, is blanketing the Earth with ‘greenhouse gases’, which trap heat. This has increased the planet’s average temperature and already had an enormous impact on our weather, polar ice caps, and plants and animals around the world.

Global warming and marine life

Scuba action, Koh Tao, Thailand. Image courtesy of Koh Tao Dive Operators Club

A rise in average water temperatures by as little as one degree places huge pressure on delicate marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef suffered two mass coral bleaching events in the summers of 1998 and 2002, while Dampier Archipelago in WA’s north-west had a major coral bleaching event in March of 2005.

Scientists say that coral communities in the Gulf of Carpentaria have already been decimated by climate change and cyclones while other coral reef provinces around the world have also been permanently damaged by warm sea temperatures, most severely in the Indian Ocean. Up to 90% of coral cover has already been lost in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, in the Seychelles and Congo. Bleaching stress, exacerbated by global warming, is also exhibited by soft corals, giant clams and some sponges.

Global warming is predicted to have an intensifying effect upon the world’s weather patterns, resulting in more severe storms, which ravage fragile coastal and intertidal ecosystems. Huge ice sheets are predicted to melt, which would have a significant impact upon the sea level, not only affecting life on land but also marine life in the oceans.

Fully protected Marine National Parks aid ecosystem resilience

Fully protected areas¹ are currently the best management tool for conserving many marine systems such as coral reefs because they exclude destructive extractive activities like fishing and mining. This ensures that the marine wildlife and ecosystems can exist as closely to their natural state as possible.

How does this help protect against climate change?

Bleached coral, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Copyright Greenpeace / Roger Grace

Direct impacts such as overfishing, disease and pollution weaken ecosystems making them more vulnerable to, or less likely to recover after, significant bleaching events. They also provide refuges which may aid in recolonisation of areas damaged through bleaching events.

Managing the resilience of fragile or threatened ecosystems through a system of fully protected areas integrated with sustainable management of surrounding areas, is essential to giving our marine wildlife a fighting chance.

The Wilderness Society WA calls upon our Government to put in place International scientific targets of 20-30% protection for each marine habitat type, to give our marine life the best chance of surviving in an uncertain future. Creating a system of science-based fully protected Marine National Parks will help strengthen all of WA’s unique marine ecosystems, which are facing 'death by a thousand cuts', and will also protect beautiful areas that our children will be able to enjoy into the future.

Get involved – contact the Perth campaign centre on 08 9420 7255 to find out more about the campaign to protect our marine wildlife.

SUPPORT NOW: Your tax-deductible donation will help us to reduce the impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring our forests and bushland.

¹ Fully protected areas are also known as marine sanctuaries, no-take zones or Marine National Parks. Non-extractive activities such as snorkelling, diving, swimming, and sailing are permitted but any activities that damage habitat or remove wildlife are prohibited.