Limiting warming to 1.5°C crucial to protect oceans - briefing

COP23 briefing – Limiting warming to 1.5°C is of paramount importance to protect the oceans. This briefing provides an overview of the latest science on key risks for ocean systems including from sea- level rise, ocean acidification and impacts on coral reefs and other marine and coastal ecosystems.

Date09 November 2017
Tropical coral reefs are already being very substantially affected by coral bleaching and ocean acidification. Limiting warming to 1.5°C will leave some chance for ecosystems to adapt, but losses in coral cover, already occurring today, will still be extensive. ©USFWS - Pacific Region, CC BY-NC 2.0
 

Download the full briefing

Ocean systems are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and there is already clear evidence for loss and damage inflicted by climate change on ocean systems.

Our briefing provides an overview of the latest science on key risks for ocean systems including from sea- level rise, ocean acidification and impacts on coral reefs and other marine and coastal ecosystems.

It also underscores the need to limit warming below 1.5°C to limit impacts on ocean systems. Exceeding that warming level will fundamentally affect ocean systems and undermine any other attempts to protect them.

Limiting warming to 1.5°C is of paramount importance for future ocean pathways. This means that the most urgent step to protect oceans is to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions in line with what is needed to meet the Paris Agreement 1.5°C limit.

Download the full briefing to read about the key climate risks for ocean systems.