Climate Change: What it is, why it matters and how it affects our oceans?

Today, we’re tackling the big one: climate change. If you’ve ever wondered what’s really going on with our changing planet, struggled to understand the science or generally stay on top of what everyone’s talking about it, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in!

What Is Climate Change?

Simply put, climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. While these changes can happen naturally over millennia, what we’re seeing today is largely driven by human activity. Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas releases greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, creating a “greenhouse effect” that’s causing the planet to warm at an unprecedented rate.

Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric CO2 levels have skyrocketed from about 280 parts per million (ppm) to over 420 ppm today (NOAA, 2023). This rapid increase is linked to activities like deforestation, industrial processes, and agriculture. The result? Rising global temperatures, melting ice caps, more extreme weather events, and shifting ecosystems.

Why Is Climate Change a Problem?

Climate change isn’t just about warmer summers or mild winters. It’s a global crisis with far-reaching consequences:

1. Extreme Weather: More frequent and severe heatwaves, hurricanes, droughts, and floods are becoming the new normal. Recent examples that have made the news include the Los Angeles fires in Jan 2025, extreme flooding events in Kathmandu, Dubai and the Southern Appalachians (to name a few) in 2024 and the hottest temperatures on record in 2024. Read more here.

2. Rising Sea Levels: Melting glaciers and polar ice caps are causing sea levels to rise, threatening coastal communities and ecosystems.

3. Biodiversity Loss: Many species are struggling to adapt to changing conditions, leading to habitat loss and extinction. The WWF Living Planet report 2024 highlights a global crisis, revealing a catastrophic decline of 73% in wildlife populations over the last 50 years.

4. Human Health Risks: Heat stress, vector-borne diseases, and respiratory issues are on the rise due to changing climates.

5. Economic Impacts: From damaged infrastructure to reduced agricultural yields, climate change poses a significant threat to global economies.

As the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) puts it, “Climate change is the defining crisis of our time and it is happening even more quickly than we feared.” Addressing it requires urgent and collective action.

How Climate Change Affects the Oceans

Now, let’s focus on one of the most critical yet often overlooked victims of climate change: our oceans. Covering over 70% of Earth’s surface, the oceans play a massive role in regulating the planet’s climate. But they’re also bearing the brunt of the damage.

Infographic showing the impacts of climate change on the ocean - original source https://www.mbari.org/know-your-ocean/climate-change/

1. Ocean Warming

The oceans absorb about 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases. While this helps buffer the atmosphere, it’s causing sea temperatures to rise. Warmer oceans:

• Disrupt marine ecosystems, leading to coral bleaching and the decline of species like krill that are vital to food chains.

• Intensify hurricanes and typhoons by fuelling them with heat energy.

A 2021 study published in Nature Climate Change revealed that ocean heat content is at its highest level in recorded history, with significant implications for marine life and weather patterns.

2. Ocean Acidification

When CO2 is absorbed by seawater, it reacts to form carbonic acid, lowering the ocean’s pH. This process, known as ocean acidification, threatens marine organisms like corals, shellfish, and plankton that rely on calcium carbonate to build their skeletons and shells.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the ocean’s surface pH has already dropped by 0.1 units since the pre-industrial era – a 30% increase in acidity.

3. Sea Level Rise

Melting ice sheets and glaciers, combined with the thermal expansion of seawater as it warms, are driving sea level rise. This threatens coastal communities, erodes shorelines, and increases the risk of flooding. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that sea levels could rise by up to 1 meter by 2100 if emissions continue unchecked.

4. Deoxygenation

Warming waters hold less oxygen, leading to “oxygen minimum zones” where marine life struggles to survive. Deoxygenation is already affecting fisheries and could have cascading effects on food security for millions of people.

Why Ocean Health Matters

Healthy oceans aren’t just nice to have; they’re essential for life on Earth. Here’s why:

• Climate Regulation: Oceans absorb between 25% and 40% of the CO2 we emit and play a key role in regulating global temperatures.

• Biodiversity: From tiny plankton to massive whales, oceans are home to an incredible array of life that supports ecosystems on land and sea.

• Livelihoods: Over 3 billion people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, particularly in fishing and tourism industries.

• Food Security: Oceans provide a vital source of protein for billions of people worldwide.

When we harm the oceans, we’re not just threatening marine life – we’re jeopardising our own survival.

What Can We Do?

Addressing climate change and protecting our oceans requires a combination of mitigation, adaptation, and innovation. Here are a few key actions:

1. Cut Emissions: Transitioning to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and adopting sustainable practices can reduce the greenhouse gases driving climate change.

2. Protect Marine Ecosystems: Establishing marine protected areas (MPAs), restoring habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, coral reefs and our favourite, Rhodolith beds, can help oceans recover.

3. Support Ocean-Based Carbon Removal: Innovations that use the power of the ocean to accelerate carbon removal or counter ocean acidification, for example our very own awesome Blusinkies, can help capture and store CO2 while restoring marine health.

   
   

Final Thoughts

Climate change is a massive challenge, but it’s also an opportunity to rethink how we interact with our planet. By protecting our oceans and addressing the root causes of climate change, we can build a healthier, more resilient future for all.

At Blusink, we’re committed to exploring and supporting solutions that make a difference. What steps are you taking to protect our planet and its oceans? Let us know – we’d love to hear your ideas!