This issue explores:
- Emergence of a climate oscillation in the Arctic Ocean due to global warming
- Record-low Antarctic sea ice in 2023 increased ocean heat loss and storms
- A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025
- Tracking bottom-fishing activities in protected vulnerable marine ecosystem areas and below 800-m depth in European Union waters
Welcome to the January 2025 issue of the OneOcean Science Mailout.
As global temperatures surged to an unprecedented 1.6°C above preindustrial levels in 2024, breaking yet another record, the urgency to address the climate crisis has never been clearer. This month’s newsletter examines the cascading impacts of anthropogenic impacts on our ocean, from the emergence of new climate cycles and record polar ice loss, to human-driven disruptions of marine carbon stores – highlighting the need for immediate and transformative action:
- The emergence of an “Arctic Niño,” a new climate oscillation driven by sea ice loss and intensified air–sea interactions, which underscores the transformative effects of a warming Arctic on regional and global climate systems;
- Record Antarctic sea ice loss in 2023, doubling heat loss in key regions and intensifying storm activity, highlighting the cascading impacts of a rapidly changing Southern Ocean on marine ecosystems and global climate stability;
- Conservation challenges and opportunities for 2025, including key ocean and climate issues which stress the urgent need for proactive strategies to mitigate the climate and biodiversity crises; and,
- Persistent bottom-contact fishing in European vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) despite EU closures, threatening these fragile biodiversity hotspots and their role in supporting marine life and fisheries.
Find out more at www.oceanprotect.org and by following #OneOceanOnePlanet.