Professor Lisa Levin, a researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, highlighted that rising ocean temperatures, driven by global warming, are pushing marine species to migrate toward cooler regions, leading to significant disruptions in ocean ecosystems.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the global average temperature from January to October 2024 was 1.94 degrees Celsius higher than the 175-year historical average, and global sea surface temperatures were 0.99 degrees Celsius above normal. These months marked the hottest January-October period on record for both land and sea temperatures.
Levin shared these insights during a conversation with Anadolu at the United Nations Climate Summit (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. She emphasized that global warming is approaching the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, and stressed humanity’s responsibility to change its course. Levin noted that during El Niño years, global warming’s effects intensify, leading to increased ocean warming. However, even though the transition to the La Niña phase was expected to reduce these effects, this has not been observed in many regions.
She pointed out that the increase in heat waves on land and sea would have severe impacts on marine ecosystems. Levin explained that ocean warming causes water expansion, leading to rising sea levels, which threaten coastal habitats. Wetlands that cannot retreat inland, rocky intertidal shores, and coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to flooding, endangering human populations along coastlines.
Levin also discussed the challenges marine species face in adapting to warmer oceans. Without adaptation, these species either face extinction or must migrate to cooler areas. This is already evident in coral reefs, where corals are turning darker due to prolonged exposure to warmer waters. Though coral reefs have been severely affected, Levin believes they will not disappear entirely, pointing to coral reefs in the Red Sea that survive in higher temperatures.
She also mentioned that migratory species are shifting northward, with some species moving across the Pacific from west to east. For instance, tuna migrations are happening due to warming, and some countries are losing their tuna stocks. This issue not only threatens food security but also impacts the economies of Pacific island nations that rely on tuna fishing rights for income.
Levin highlighted that ocean warming is also reducing oxygen levels, which is causing habitat loss for many marine species and forcing them into shallower waters. She warned that these migrations could reshape ocean ecosystems, creating new groupings of species. She noted studies showing that crabs are now found in Antarctica, an area once too cold for them, leading to changes in seafloor ecosystems. Warmer water holds less oxygen, which further exacerbates habitat loss, causing deoxygenation of the ocean, directly linked to biodiversity loss.
Levin criticized the lack of focus on ocean warming at COP29, where discussions were primarily centered on financing. She expressed hope that COP30, which will be held in Brazil, will give more attention to this critical issue.
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