Blue Carbon

SEVEN DETRIMENTAL WAYS IN WHICH THE OCEANS THEMSELVES WILL BE AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE The ecology of the planet is closely linked to different ocean processes, most of which are directly affected by climate change.

MELTING OF ARCTIC SEA ICE

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Arctic sea-ice reductions have significant impacts on climate, wildlife and communities. The opening of open water across the Arctic ocean will have unknown consequences in terms of changes in water circulation and redistribution of species from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. As sea ice coverage declines, albe- do diminishes and more radiation is absorbed by the sea water, in a feed-back process that enhances warming and melting sea ice.

Sea ice anomaly in Northern Hemisphere Million square kilometres, from 1978-2000 average

0.5

0.0

-0.5

-1.0

-1.5

-2.0

-2.5

2000

2002

2004 2006

2008

2010

2001

2003

2005

2009

2007

Source : NOAA, 2009.

Figure 9: Loss of the ice sheet.

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