OCEAN TEMPERATURES REACH A

OCEAN TEMPERATURES REACH RECORD HIGH

BY: Mercy Back, UHM MOP Student

As many people wrapped up 2019 by celebrating, climate scientists worried across the globe. New data in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences revealed that ocean temperatures hit an all-time high in the last year. “The rate from 1987 to 2019 is four and a half times faster than that from 1955 to 1986” (The Guardian). According to the report, 2019 saw the hottest recorded ocean-temperatures, 2018 the second, 2017 the third. Scientists argue that the state of the ocean is one of the biggest signs of the effects of climate change, as the ocean absorbs around 90% of greenhouse gases. As oceans warm, they affect the way rain falls and evaporates. Therefore, as ocean temperatures rise, dry climates will become drier and wet climates will become wetter. One such example of a dry climate is Australia, which as of January of this year, has lost 17.9 million acres, 3,000 homes, and 28 lives due to bushfires raging in New South Wales. Another issue with rising ocean temperatures is the melting of polar ice caps. Within the last decade, science has shown that sea-levels were at an all-time high, with records dating back to the early 20th century. High-risk areas, such as southern cities in Louisiana, would be subject to the rising sea levels. Scientists predict that, at the end of the century, the sea level will have risen one meter, which would displace millions of people worldwide. Issues continue to arise, even for the ocean’s inhabitants. When ocean temperatures rise, coral bleaching begins. One could reasonably hypothesize that these warmer water conditions could disrupt migration patterns of some species. As water levels rise, many endangered species, such as the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), would lose nesting sites, to which mothers return annually to lay their eggs. We must continuously work towards securing our future and the future of our oceans. In September of last year, 150 countries took to the streets to make sure their governments heard their voices. In the United States, there were protests in all fifty states and there were around 1,100 strikes, where people from all backgrounds came together to fight for the future of our planet. The United States backed out of the Paris Agreement in 2017, which was an international pledge to cut carbon emissions. However, many countries are working towards cutting their own emissions and we must implore all international leaders and businesses to do the same. C. mydas. By: Caleb Slemmons, Flickr.