Climate Crisis Pushes Mediterranean Sea Temperatures to Record Highs
· Milliyet Ekonomi
A World Weather Attribution study reveals that record sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean and European seas are directly caused by the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis.
Warming in Mediterranean and European Seas
International scientists working under World Weather Attribution (WWA) have presented a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of the climate crisis on sea surface temperatures. According to the study, which included experts from Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, Ireland, and the UK, marine heatwaves occurred over a wide area from Ireland to the Mediterranean during the summer. In some regions, sea surface temperatures rose 6 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages. WWA data indicates that fossil fuel-driven climate change has led to a direct temperature increase of approximately 2 degrees Celsius in the Mediterranean, 1.4 degrees in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian region, and 1.3 degrees in the Celtic region.
Marine Heatwave Data
The data in the research report shows the dangerous extent of marine heatwaves with clear figures. This year, 90% of the Bay of Biscay and Iberian coastal region, 80% of the Western Mediterranean, and 70% of the Eastern Mediterranean were exposed to severe marine heatwave conditions. Scientific modeling determined that without human-induced climate change, these percentages would have remained at around 40% in the Bay of Biscay and Western Mediterranean, and only 9% in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Threat to Ecosystems and Food Systems
Extreme ocean and sea temperatures are causing mass mortality in key habitat-forming species such as corals, sponges, and macroalgae, shaking the entire food chain and food security. Sharp declines have also been observed in bird and mammal populations. Professor Friederike Otto from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London issued a warning on the matter, stating:
"This has direct consequences for terrestrial and marine life. By delaying the transition away from fossil fuels, we are bringing many ocean ecosystems one step closer to extinction."