Posts Tagged 'policy'

California’s 2026 Coast and Ocean Assessment

Published 1 April 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Key Messages

  1. California’s coastal ocean moderates our climate, holds potential solutions to climate change, and is directly impacted by a changing climate. California’s coast and ocean are also critical natural resources and economic assets, generating $51.3 billion in gross domestic product and supporting more than 500,000 jobs.
  2. The public and policymakers can get a broad, state-level understanding of the overall status of the coast and ocean through this synthesis of complex data into single statewide metrics and subsequent aggregation of those evaluations in this report. At the same time, some categories are better understood through downscaled or local evaluations.
  3. This coast and ocean assessment is the result of the work of more than 120 scientific experts from academic institutions, state and federal agencies, NGOs, and Tribes. The widespread support that it has garnered exemplifies the value of leveraging buy-in from a broad scientific community that stands poised to continue to support in delivering the best available science to policymakers.
  4. State-federal partnerships provide essential infrastructure: evaluations for 13 of the 19 categories leveraged federal data, and the evaluations of five categories were fully reliant on the specialized expertise and in-kind time of federal scientists.
  5. Distilling data into single metrics for each category enabled us to flexibly incorporate multiple data types, retain geographic information while providing statewide coverage, and present findings that are both accurate and easily understood. This approach also ensures forward compatibility to incorporate new data as they become available and repeat this
    analysis in the future.
  6. The 2014-2015 marine heatwave was a seminal event that disrupted California’s ocean ecosystems, including loss of species and ecosystem services, declining populations, and geographic range shifts. We can expect more warm years like this in the future.
  7. The state has a valuable role to play in strengthening the ocean monitoring and evaluation enterprise, such as expanding monitoring in Northern California, coordinating networks and standardizing methods, supporting innovative monitoring technologies to better track cryptic species, and identifying where strategic investments can fill data gaps.

See summary of ocean acidification findings.

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State of the global climate 2025

Published 30 March 2026 Newsletters and reports Leave a Comment
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The temperature of the Earth changes in response to the rate at which energy enters and leaves the Earth system. Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, all of which reached their highest level in 800 000 years in 2024 (the last year for which we have consolidated global figures), reduce the rate at which energy leaves the Earth system. This imbalance – the Earth’s energy imbalance, a new indicator in this year’s report – leads to an accumulation of excess energy.

One of the longest observational records of climate change is that of global mean near-surface temperature. The past three years are the three warmest years in the 176-year combined land and ocean observational record. The year 2025 is the second or third warmest year, depending on the dataset used, slightly cooler than the record warmth of 2024, due in part to the transition from El Niño at the start of 2024 to La Niña in 2025. The warming seen at the surface and throughout the troposphere represents just 1% of the excess energy trapped by greenhouse gases.

The vast majority of the excess energy – around 91% – has been absorbed by the ocean in the form of heat. Ocean heat content reached a new record high in 2025, reflecting the continued increase in energy.

Another 3% of the excess energy warms and melts ice. In a global set of reference glaciers with long-term measurements, eight of the ten most negative annual glacier mass balances since 1950 have occurred since 2016. The ice sheets on Antarctica and Greenland have both lost significant mass since satellite records began.

The extent of sea ice in the Arctic has decreased in all seasons since satellite measurements began in 1979, and the annual maximum extent in 2025 was the lowest or second lowest in the observed records. Sea-ice extent around Antarctica showed a small long-term increase until 2015, but since then, extents throughout the annual cycle have dropped considerably, and the past four years have seen the four lowest Antarctic sea-ice minima on record.

The warming ocean and melting of ice on land from glaciers and ice sheets have both contributed to the long-term rise in global mean sea level. The rate of global sea-level rise has increased since satellite measurements began in 1993.

The remaining ~5% of the excess energy is stored in the continents, increasing the temperature of the land mass and thereby affecting terrestrial processes.

As well as absorbing the majority of the energy trapped by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, the ocean has also absorbed around 29% of the anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide in the past decade. While this helps to buffer the effects of climate change, it also alters the chemical composition of the ocean water, reducing the pH in a process known as ocean acidification.

These rapid large-scale changes in the Earth system have cascading impacts on human and natural systems, contributing to food insecurity and displacement where hazards intersect with high vulnerability and limited adaptive capacity.

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Ocean acidification and blue food security: mapping two overlapping regime complexes

Published 27 March 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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The dual challenges of blue food security and ocean acidification (OA) have become increasingly urgent concerns for global sustainability. Blue foods, which provide key nutrients, are threatened by OA, posing risks to biodiversity, fisheries, and the livelihoods of communities that depend on them. The pressure of OA highlights the urgency of addressing blue food security through the lens of OA. Understanding the governance landscape that shapes responses is crucial, yet existing literature has largely considered the OA and blue food security regimes separately. This paper analyzes whether and how the international governance of OA and blue food security intersect by mapping their regime complexes. The central research question investigates how international regimes interact in governing this nexus. The analysis finds that the two regime complexes overlap in many areas, including fisheries/marine resources and climate change. Although many actors and instruments mention both topics, significant governance fragmentation persists. Case studies on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reveal that neither institution provides a comprehensive framework for governing the nexus of OA and blue food security resilience. The FAO lacks an explicit mandate for OA governance. If mentioned, OA is relegated to a list of stressors. The UNFCCC addresses OA only indirectly through CO2 mitigation efforts, and its instruments, while referencing food production, generally do not link it explicitly to OA. This results in fragmented authority, unclear responsibility, and limited integration across policy domains. Furthermore, a discrepancy exists where blue food security is recognized as a topic of legal and political urgency, while OA often only gains scientific attention. We conclude that further joint integration of OA and blue food security in legal and policy frameworks is necessary to enhance coherence and coordination across these regimes.

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The ocean as system

Published 9 March 2026 Web sites and blogs Closed
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Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere and absorbed by water lowers its pH level, making the ocean more acidic and less able to sustain life. In 2009 a group of scientists included this ocean acidification (OA) as one of nine planetary boundaries that must remain within safe bounds if the earth is to remain stable and resilient. That study recognised that ocean health is integral to the overall health of the planet. A more recent study concluded that by 2020 the planetary boundary for OA had already been crossed. It is the seventh of the boundaries to have been breached.

For over two decades, governments and international organisations have recognised the danger that OA poses to marine life, and by extension to economies and societies. Supported by a large volume of scientific research detailing the threat, measures to combat OA have been incorporated into numerous national policies and international agreements, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But the crossing of the planetary boundary is a clear indicator that those efforts have failed.

Policy fragmentation, at both international and national levels, is a major reason for the lack of progress on OA. Seen in conflicting objectives, duplication and weak accountability for results, such fragmentation is, an issue across ocean management as a whole. Many experts believe that a more holistic, systems-based approach to ocean management can integrate OA action more effectively alongside parallel efforts to address other stressors of ocean and planetary health. In this article, they discuss why such an approach has potential to eventually turn the tide.

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Integrated ocean carbon research: a vision primed for implementation

Published 4 March 2026 Newsletters and reports Closed
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Executive Summary

The mission of the ‘Integrated Ocean Carbon Research’ (IOC-R) programme is to enhance our understanding of the ocean as a changing sink for human-produced CO2 and its climate change mitigation capacity, as well as the vulnerability of ocean ecosystems to increasing CO2 levels. The IOC-R programme aims to provide an actionable foundation for addressing the challenges of ocean carbon research. In doing so, it is contributing to the objectives of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development by integrating the latest scientific findings and observational data for ocean carbon.

Supported by interdisciplinary research, the understanding of the ocean carbon cycle has advanced significantly since the last release of a report from the IOC-R community (IOC of UNESCO, 2021; Sabine et al., 2024). However, major knowledge and observational gaps remain, leading to considerable uncertainties in model projections. These hamper the development of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, including those involving ocean based solutions.

The IOC-R programme itself is co-sponsored by five international research and coordination programmes which have a strong involvement and focus on ocean carbon (Global Carbon Project1, SOLAS2, IMBeR3, CLIVAR4and IOCCP5) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC)6.

This IOC-R report is a global community effort with 72 authors and 13 reviewers from 23 countries. The report aims to guide the scientific focus of these programmes, as well as GOOS7, and to highlight new global cross-cutting priorities of ocean carbon research that help national and international ocean science funding entities determine future areas of investment. It will accomplish this by identifying knowledge gaps and coordinated research approaches to increase understanding about the ocean carbon cycle in a changing world.

The IOC-R community has defined five focus areas for ocean carbon research (Figure ES1), which will be further developed and explained in the report (Section 3):

  1. Evolution of the ocean carbon sink under a changing climate,
  2. The changing role of biology in the ocean carbon cycle,
  3. Carbon exchanges across the land-ocean-ice continuum,
  4. The impact of ocean industrial processes on the ocean bio logical carbon cycle,
  5. Future changes in the carbon cycle from deliberate ocean-based climate interventions.

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5.b Capacity development

Among the organizations supporting integrated ocean carbon research, nine programmes and organizations, including science networks and programmes, Ocean Decade activities and UN organizations were identified as having a specific mandate in capacity development (Table 1). Many of these focus on human and technical capacity development, as well as awareness raising. However, only a few organizations put emphasis on research policies.

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Ocean acidification in Canada: the current state of knowledge and pathways for action

Published 23 February 2026 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification (OA) generally receives far less consideration than other climate stressors and related hazards, such as global warming and extreme weather events. Canada is uniquely vulnerable to OA given its extensive coastal oceans, the oceanographic processes in its three basins, accelerated warming and sea-ice melt, and extensive coastal communities and maritime economic sectors. Canada’s coastline is also home to extensive and diverse First Nations peoples with distinct histories, rights, title, laws, governance and whose traditions and cultures are extrinsically linked to the sea. However, there are currently very limited pathways to support OA action, mitigation, and/or adaptation in Canada, particularly at the policy level. Here, we present a first synthesis of the current state of OA knowledge across Canada’s Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic regions, including monitoring, modelling, biological responses, socioeconomic and policy perspectives, and examples of existing OA actions and efforts at local and provincial levels. We also suggest a step-wise pathway for actions to enhance the coordinated filling of OA knowledge gaps and integration of OA knowledge into decision-making frameworks. The goals of these recommendations are to improve our ability to respond to OA in Canada, and minimize risks to coastal marine environments and ecosystems, vulnerable sectors, and communities.

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A systematic review of the ocean acidification research in India: research trends, gaps and recommendations

Published 11 February 2026 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification, a consequence of climate change, has become a significant threat to marine organisms. Globally, tremendous efforts have been made to understand its impact on different ecological and biological processes. In India, this research area is still not fully explored, but expanding at an exponential rate. Hence, it is essential to consolidate the fragmented knowledge into a systematic review, which will assist future researchers to develop their work. In this study, we utilized the Scopus, Web of Science and Ocean Acidification-International Coordination Centre bibliography to conduct a systematic review of ocean acidification research in India. We used the Biblioshiny package in R to conduct a bibliometric analysis, identify spatial and temporal research trends, and highlight the growth of literature in ocean acidification research, as well as existing knowledge gaps. We used the following keywords: ocean acidification, lowered pH, acidifying ocean, elevated carbon dioxide, elevated CO2, marine carbonate chemistry, shell decalcification and affiliation as India to obtain relevant publications. We selected 353 publications by applying relevance filtering and adherence to PRISMA guidelines. Almost one-third of the publications were non-primary articles. Among research articles, only 71 publications were found to investigate the response of marine organisms to ocean acidification. Majority of them involved single stressors, for a short term on very limited taxa. Lack of molecular-level investigation, multifactorial experimental design, and long-term observations were major gaps. This review aims to support researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved in the planning, monitoring, and developing adaptation strategies. Finally, it provides recommendations for future research and policy development.

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Effectiveness and scalability of coastal nature-based solutions under climate impact drivers: a systematic review

Published 30 January 2026 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • A structured review filters 117 coastal NbS studies to 35 CID-relevant and 14 implementation-informative cases
  • Coastal NbS are evaluated through their implementation components under multiple climate impact drivers
  • NbS foundational and measurement processes dominate reviewed NbS practices, while learning, governance, and economic processes remain weak
  • Scalability emerges from processes completeness rather than ecosystem type or NbS intervention design
  • Key implementation gaps are identified that limit the resilience, transferability, and policy uptake of coastal NbS

Abstract

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly promoted for enhancing coastal resilience to climate change, yet most evaluations focus on biophysical outcomes while overlooking the project-level processes that influence long-term effectiveness and scalability. This study applies an implementation-based analytical framework to assess how coastal NbS respond to multiple Climate Impact Drivers (CIDs), including sea-level rise, ocean warming, storm intensity, precipitation variability, and ocean acidification.

A structured qualitative review of 117 coastal NbS studies was conducted, of which 35 were CID-relevant and only 14 contained sufficient process-level information for detailed analysis. Eight Implementation Components (ICs)—baseline assessment, stakeholder engagement, comparative analysis, economic analysis, performance indicators, monitoring, adaptive management, scalability and replicability—were identified and analysed using Jaccard similarity indices to quantify their co-occurrence. These ICs are related to implementation planning, governance, monitoring, learning, and scalability. The ICs were further mapped to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Standard for NbS to evaluate their conceptual alignment with recognised quality criteria.

Results show that ICs such as baseline assessment, monitoring, and performance indicators dominate current NbS practice, whereas learning-orientated and enabling processes—particularly comparative analysis, adaptive management, stakeholder engagement, and economic assessment—are weakly integrated. This structural imbalance limits cross-site learning, adaptive capacity, and scalability under interacting climate pressures. NbS interventions exhibiting more complete process architectures demonstrate greater alignment with IUCN criteria related to governance, feasibility, and long-term sustainability.

The study demonstrates that scalability is an emergent property of process completeness rather than a function of ecosystem type or intervention outcomes. This study establishes a quantitative-conceptual framework that integrates CIDs, ICs, and NbS standards, offering a transferable methodology for identifying implementation deficiencies and enhancing the design of resilient, policy-relevant coastal NbS.

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A trend-based ecological indicator framework for spatially classifying ocean acidification risk to global coral reefs

Published 8 January 2026 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • Global aragonite saturation state declined at −0.0068 ± 0.00013 yr−1 from 1985 to 2023.
  • Equatorial Pacific shows fastest acidification with Ωₐᵣ declines of −0.012 yr−1.
  • Novel trend-based K-means clustering identifies emerging coral reef risk zones.
  • Strong pCO₂-Ωₐᵣ correlations (ρ < −0.9) in tropical upwelling regions monthly.
  • Framework supports SDG 14.3 and Global Biodiversity Framework implementation.

Abstract

Ocean acidification driven by anthropogenic CO₂ uptake poses a critical threat to coral reef ecosystems. Using global surface ocean carbonate data from 1985 to 2023, we provide a high-resolution, observation-based assessment of long-term trends in pCO₂, pH, and aragonite saturation state (Ωₐᵣ). Our results show a robust global decline in Ωₐᵣ (−0.0068 ± 0.00013 yr−1), with the most pronounced losses in the equatorial Pacific and Southern Hemisphere. Monthly correlations reveal strong inverse pCO₂–Ωₐᵣ relationships (ρ < −0.9) and positive pH–Ωₐᵣ correlations (ρ > 0.9) in tropical upwelling zones, highlighting spatially persistent acidification stress. A key innovation of this study is the use of a trend-based K-means clustering framework that classifies ocean regions into high, moderate, and low impact categories based on Ωₐᵣ decline rates. Unlike conventional assessments relying on absolute Ωₐᵣ thresholds, this approach identifies regions that remain suitable today but are deteriorating rapidly, thus at risk of crossing biological thresholds in the near future. High-impact zones, including the Coral Triangle and eastern tropical Pacific, show Ωₐᵣ declines of −0.010 to −0.012 yr−1 and have already reached levels near 2.4–3.0, suggesting growing stress on reef calcification. By leveraging high-resolution observational data rather than model projections, this approach reduces uncertainty and offers a scalable tool for anticipating ecological vulnerability under ongoing acidification. The findings underscore the urgent need for conservation in tropical high-impact zones and for sustained monitoring in lower-risk regions. This work provides a science-based framework to support spatially targeted reef management and informs global policy priorities including SDG 14.3 and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

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Navigating uncertainty: an assessment of climate change risks to the marine and coastal environment of Sri Lanka

Published 7 January 2026 Science Closed
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Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to the impacts of marine climate change due to the low coastal profile, which is densely populated with many rural areas dedicated to fishing and aquaculture. Motivated by this, this study aimed to compile and analyse the available evidence and identify steps to improve climate adaptation by undertaking an assessment of marine climate change risks for Sri Lanka. The stepwise approach consisted of a comprehensive literature review and synthesis of risks, followed by appraisal, validation and scoring by expert stakeholders. Here we present a summary of key findings regarding marine climate variables (temperature, sea-level rise, ocean circulation, salinity, ocean acidification, dissolved oxygen, storminess, precipitation and wind), and risks to marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. The most important biodiversity risks identified include decreasing plankton productivity; threats to sea turtles; changes in fish communities; increasing threats to coral reefs; changes to mangrove and seagrass habitats; shoreline erosion; and increasing risk of bio-invasions. Key risks to ecosystem services include declining fisheries; damage and disruption to critical infrastructure and services; threats to tourism; and loss of protective coastal habitats. We also identified important knowledge gaps and uncertainties involving lack of climate data and evidence of impacts. Finally, we provide recommendations regarding marine monitoring and research, and options to strengthen climate policies and climate adaptation in Sri Lanka.

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Communities on the frontlines of ocean acidification bring urgent call to action to COP30

Published 26 November 2025 Web sites and blogs Closed
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The premiere of the short film “Changing Waters: Time for Action on Ocean Acidification” showed leaders from around the world sounding the alarm on the need to tackle this overlooked climate threat by drastically reducing emissions.

Belém, Brazil, November 20th, 2025 – Yesterday evening, the Ocean Pavilion at COP30 filled with policymakers, scientists, and coastal leaders for the premiere of “Changing Waters: Time for Action on Ocean Acidification” – a short film that puts climate challenge into sharp focus and centers the voices of those witnessing and responding to its impacts firsthand.

Produced by the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance) and LUMA Storytelling, the film bears witness to the work of leaders around the globe – from Washington State, to Fiji and Colombia – showing how they are taking action to protect their coastal resources and documenting what’s at stake if carbon emissions are not drastically reduced.

“These partners see, every day, the effects of climate change on our ocean,” says Jessie Turner, Executive Director of the OA Alliance. “The film both celebrates their work and honors the sense of urgency we are demanding from global policymakers.”

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A framework for assessing global health impacts of polar change: an urgent call for interdisciplinary research

Published 18 November 2025 Science Closed
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Research on the human health risks of climate change is expanding, yet the influence of polar region shifts on these risks remains underexplored. This paper presents a framework to assess global and regional health risks stemming from polar physical changes. The polar regions are experiencing rapid environmental transformations, including melting ice, ocean warming, ocean acidification, permafrost thaw, intensifying wildfires, and alterations to jet streams, ocean currents. These changes can amplify global risks, affecting human health even in distant regions. The paper identifies potential cascading impacts on health and well-being via drivers such as extreme weather, heat stress, air, water quality, food supply, safety, vector ecology, and sea-level rise. A scoping review was conducted by an international team of public health and polar experts to support thematic categorization of regional and global health risks. The paper advocates integrating these amplified risks into health impact assessments through interdisciplinary, international collaboration to inform future policy responses.

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Omics insights into ocean health: molecular adaptations and ecosystem resilience under climate stress

Published 5 November 2025 Science Closed
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Despite extensive research documenting the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems, the molecular mechanisms driving organismal and ecosystem resilience to ocean warming, acidification, and deoxygenation remain insufficiently understood. This review addresses this knowledge gap by synthesizing recent advances in omics technologies—including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and epigenomics—that illuminate adaptive genetic, metabolic, and epigenetic processes in marine organisms. These approaches help identify climate-tolerant genetic variants, uncover metabolic pathways for stress mitigation, and reveal epigenetic modifications enabling rapid adaptation. Together, such insights are transforming biodiversity monitoring, predictive ecosystem modeling, and the evidence-based design of climate-resilient marine protected areas (MPAs) grounded in genomic and functional diversity. Studies on marine microbial communities further provide promising avenues for blue carbon ecosystem enhancement and climate mitigation. Integrating omics findings into global governance frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and International Maritime Organization (IMO), strengthens adaptive fisheries management, spatial planning, and climate-resilient policy. Key challenges for multi-omics integration are discussed alongside innovative solutions, such as integrative analytical approaches and the adoption of standardized molecular indicators. By bridging molecular science, policy, and management, this review outlines how interdisciplinary collaboration can advance adaptive and sustainable stewardship of the ocean in an era of unprecedented environmental change.

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Global ocean indicators: marking pathways at the science-policy nexus

Published 4 November 2025 Science Closed
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Ocean knowledge is crucial for shaping policies that enable sustainable development, adaptation, and well-being at all levels, as everyone—either directly or indirectly—depends on the ocean, which today faces escalating threats from climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, pushing us beyond critical planetary boundaries. Ocean indicators are crucial for translating ocean science and data into practical metrics, guidance, and tools informing on the state and health of the ocean that can be directly applied by policymakers, practitioners, and the public. Despite their critical importance, ocean indicators trail behind those for continental areas, limiting effective monitoring and policy integration. Developing reliable, comparable, and regularly updated ocean indicators, backed by a unified international framework, is essential for delivering coherent, actionable insights that can guide global goals and protect the ocean’s future. This paper establishes a scientific foundation for ocean indicators through international and multidisciplinary collaboration, presenting defined criteria and a set of pilot indicators for the ocean’s physical, biogeochemical, biodiversity, and ecosystem aspects. The proposed framework offers a solid foundation for generating indicators that not only track the ocean state but also provide outputs for application in informing policy and decision-making.

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Climate refugia could disappear from Australia’s marine protected areas by 2040

Published 3 November 2025 Science Closed
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Abstract

Climate change manifests in the ocean as chronic stressors, including warming, acidification and deoxygenation, and as acute stressors such as marine heatwaves. While marine protected areas (MPAs) are often designed to mitigate local stressors such as fishing and mining, their design seldom considers climate change. Using the Australian marine estate as a case study, we use projections from 11 CMIP6 Earth System Models to assess the climate exposure of Australian waters, and implications for the MPA network. We find that, under scenarios that exceed 1.8°C of global surface warming this century, ocean climate is projected to surpass recent variability (1995–2014) from mid-century. This results in the disappearance of climate analogs—where future ocean conditions remain within recent variability—and of climate refugia—regions with slowest rates of environmental change, most likely to retain biodiversity—by 2040. Australian MPAs and unprotected areas exhibit similar patterns of exposure to warming, acidification, deoxygenation, and marine heatwaves, suggesting that MPA placement with respect to future climate is no better than random. Despite potential re-emergence of climate refugia after 2060 under lower-emissions scenarios, continued emissions under current Nationally Determined Contributions (SSP2–4.5) risk ecosystem collapse from chronic and acute thermal stress across protected and unprotected waters. While cutting emissions can partially cap or delay climate impacts, even under lower-emissions scenarios, effective conservation requires adaptive strategies that protect biodiversity in place and on the move.

Plain Language Summary

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are designed to safeguard ocean biodiversity from threats like fishing, but their design rarely considers climate change impacts. We assessed the future exposure of Australia’s MPAs to climate change using projections of ocean climate. Our findings reveal that if global surface warming exceeds 1.8°C this century, Australian marine ecosystems will face entirely novel ocean conditions beyond recent historical variability (1995–2014) by mid-century. This results in the Australia-wide disappearance of regions with slowest rates of climate change—climate refugia—representing a substantial threat to marine biodiversity. Our results suggest that MPAs are no better off than unprotected areas, facing the same risks from warming, acidification, deoxygenation, and marine heatwaves as unprotected waters. We found that reducing emissions could facilitate the reappearance of some climate refugia after 2060, but continuing along current emissions trends risks ecosystem collapse from warming throughout Australia’s protected and unprotected waters. Effective marine conservation requires both emissions reductions and adaptive strategies to protect biodiversity as species respond to a changing ocean climate.

Key Points

  • Ocean climate in Australia will reach a climate horizon by mid-century, representing novel conditions beyond recent variability (1995–2014)
  • Under global warming scenarios exceeding 1.8°C this century, climate refugia are projected to disappear from Australian waters by 2040
  • Existing MPAs and unprotected areas exhibit equivalent patterns of exposure to multiple ocean climate metrics, suggesting a lack of climate-smart design
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Ocean acidification global perspectives and India’s path forward

Published 29 October 2025 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification (OA) poses a significant global threat to marine ecosystems, fisheries, and coastal livelihoods. While several countries have established robust monitoring and mitigation strategies, many regions, including India, are still developing comprehensive responses. Given India’s heavy reliance on ocean-based resources, it is crucial to integrate OA considerations into national marine policies to safeguard biodiversity, support sustainable seafood production, and protect vulnerable coastal communities. In alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 14.3, which calls for enhanced scientific cooperation and monitoring to address OA, this review highlights key gaps in India’s current OA research and policy landscape. It proposes a strategic framework encompassing improved monitoring systems, socio-ecological impact assessments, and targeted policy interventions. By fostering a holistic and collaborative approach, the study aims to strengthen India’s OA resilience and contribute to broader global mitigation efforts.

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Japan shellfish farmer perceptions of ocean acidification, adaptive strategies and comparison with global shellfish farmers

Published 24 October 2025 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification (OA) poses significant threats to shellfish aquaculture. Although governments and organizations around the globe are taking actions to mitigate the impacts of OA, few studies directly report shellfish farmer perceptions of OA and corresponding responses. In this study, we document Japanese shellfish (oyster) commercial farmer perceptions of, and adaptive strategies for OA with respect to oyster aquaculture. We also review and compare our results with existing studies of shellfish commercial farmer perceptions of OA in three regions, including the United States (U.S.), the Mediterranean region and British Columbia, Canada. We found variation in the perceptions of OA around the globe; it is common among all shellfish farmers to have difficulty distinguishing OA from other environmental stressors. OA adaptive strategies from shellfish farmers were only reported for the U.S. (in the literature), and Japan (this study). Acknowledging the diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds, we discussed the similarity and difference of adaptive strategies between the U.S. (as a post-event case with documented OA-related shellfish mortality) and Japan (as a pre-event case) to cope with OA. For example, farmers from both countries suggest, or are already utilizing flexibility in farm management and applying knowledge through hands-on learning. While U.S. farmers rely on networking with different stakeholders to learn about OA knowledge and solutions while Japanese farmers do not. Learning from the strategies that U.S. farmers applied to adapt to OA events, several areas of policies and actions (e.g., financial support, collaboration with scientists and OA awareness enhancement) were identified to better support and empower Japanese shellfish farmers to adapt to future OA scenarios. However, future study on suitability and transferability of implementing policies and actions in Japan is required due to different geographical and cultural contexts.

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A tri-national initiative to advance understanding of coastal and ocean acidification in the Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America

Published 23 October 2025 Science Closed
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The Gulf of Mexico’s (also recognized by the United States government as the Gulf of America; herein referred to as “the Gulf”) valuable and diverse marine, coastal, and estuarine environments sustain many habitats, species, and economically important fisheries that are vulnerable to open ocean and coastal acidification (OOCA), including shellfish, coral reefs, and other carbonate reefs and seafloor. OOCA poses an economic threat to the Gulf’s economy, which is estimated to have a combined value of $2.04 trillion (US) per year across Cuba, Mexico and the United States (U.S.). Scientists from Cuba, Mexico, and the U.S. co-organized and co-hosted the first Gulf International Ocean Acidification Summit on Oct. 18-19, 2022 in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico to exchange information and begin development of a new tri-national network to address the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of OOCA in the Gulf based on common needs. The meeting included representatives from government agencies, universities, research institutes, non-governmental organizations, and was sponsored by the Furgason Fellowship of the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Discussions focused on each country’s challenges, including known and potential socioeconomic vulnerabilities and biological and ecosystem responses to OOCA. Shared priorities were identified for observational, biological, environmental needs, socioeconomic research, outreach, and communications. Priority geographic locations for the study and short and long-term monitoring of OOCA were identified based on the group’s knowledge of oceanographic conditions and vulnerable regions. Longer-term actions that will help support multinational collaborations include: identifying shared data and information platforms; standardizing chemical and biological sampling methodologies; coordinating communications with regulatory agencies and resource managers; and coordinating monitoring activities, collaborative research projects, and tri-national comparisons and synthesis of findings. We present guidance from this effort for an integrated, multinational approach to understanding the causes and consequences of OOCA in the Gulf.

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Ocean change in the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent seas: a multi-dimensional challenge for the environment, society, and economy

Published 17 October 2025 Newsletters and reports Closed
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An ocean narrative is a powerful tool for making complex ocean changes better accessible while informing decision-making and inspiring collective action. This ocean narrative reports on ocean change in the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent seas and discusses its broader implications for Europe’s environment, economy, and society. The region is experiencing warming and acidification at rates exceeding the global average, with rising sea levels and record severe marine heatwaves (MHWs). These changes threaten marine ecosystems, biodiversity, cultural heritage, and key economic sectors, such as aquaculture and coastal tourism, which rely heavily on the balance and the health of the ocean. This ocean narrative emphasizes the importance of regional ocean indicators for the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent seas and underscores the importance of localized responses, as ocean changes affect regions differently, particularly in semi-enclosed seas such as the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. The findings stress the urgency of timely action and the need to strengthen evidence-based and strategic ocean knowledge transfer at the science and policy interface for informed decision-making that balances environmental sustainability, economic resilience, and social inclusivity to address the growing challenges of ocean change in the northeastern Atlantic and its adjacent seas.

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New Jersey ocean acidification action plan

Published 3 October 2025 Science Closed
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The NJDEP created an Ocean Acidification Action Plan  to address ocean and coastal acidification. Left unchecked, this global issue will negatively impact the balance of the ecosystem as well as the state’s fish and shellfish industries. Shellfish are particularly vulnerable through the impacts of acidification on shell formation.

The New Jersey Ocean Acidification Action Plan identifies steps that the NJDEP has already taken that can help mitigate ocean and coastal acidification and outlines the Department’s next steps to better understand the current conditions and prepare for additional impacts of ocean and coastal acidification.

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