Ocean deoxygenation refers to the loss of oxygen from the oceans due to climate change (Keeling et al. 2010). The new International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) report “Ocean deoxygenation: everyone’s problem” estimates that the ocean as a whole is expected to lose 3–4% of its oxygen inventory by the year 2100. Oxygen loss in the oceans impacts species differently, depending on their oxygen dependencies. Nevertheless, it hurts our ocean food supply significantly.
Oceans are losing oxygen due to climate change, which will affect hundreds of millions of people, according to a new United Nations report. Scientists are calling this the “ultimate wake-up call” to humanity.
Scientists say rising sea temperature caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions is leading to oxygen-depleted zones to form on the sea bed. The report found that the loss of oxygen from the world’s ocean is increasingly threatening fish species such as tuna, marlin, and sharks.
John Englander is an oceanographer, consultant, and leading expert on sea-level rise. His broad marine science background, explorations to Greenland and Antarctica, and research provide him the ability to see the big picture of sea-level rise and its societal impacts.
In this clip, John points out that various tipping points appear to be cascading. Some examples he cites include the Arctic sea ice melting quicker. It is responsible for changing weather patterns and could be involved with slowing down the ocean currents.
He points out that the number of people that are vulnerable to flooding as sea-level rises is difficult to define. If sea-level becomes one meter higher or one point one meters higher, the extra 10 centimeters is hard to extrapolate or project onto how many homes would flood. Today, satellite images provide a more accurate picture of the height of the terrain the topography. In prior years, tree canopy looked like land and flooding projections were more conservative. Now, artificial intelligence and machine learning, help us decipher the actual land height and acknowledge that more people are vulnerable to flooding.
He points out that even if we could somehow magically stop all carbon dioxide emissions, we would still have the effects of the heat already stored in the atmosphere. All the strange weather patterns, the fires, and droughts, will not go away immediately even if we could reduce carbon dioxide emissions to zero. Therefore, we have to be more resilient to these extreme weather events.
John works with businesses, governmental agencies and communities to understand the risks of increased flooding due to rising seas, extreme tides, and severe storms, advocating for “intelligent adaptation”.
A new study and mapping visualization tool by the organization Climate Central says hundreds of millions more people than previously thought live in coastal flooding risk zones.
