MCCIP news: ‘The MCCIP website has recently been updated with new marine climate change news and events. Below is a brief summary of the new items that have been added. For more details on all of the items listed below, simply go to www.mccip.org.uk and go to the relevant links in the ‘news and events’ box on our homepage. Please note that the material presented in MCCIP news does not necessarily reflect the views of MCCIP.

• Hurricanes Irma, Harvey and Jose appearing at the same time shows climate change is real and getting worse The horrifying weather that has swept over the Atlantic is just a light example of things to come, according to researchers. The Americas have been hit by three destructive hurricanes in recent weeks: Harvey, Irma and then Jose. “Perhaps Harvey was happenstance, and Irma could be coincidence,” said Philip Williamson, NERC Science Coordinator at University of East Anglia. “But Jose following close behind has to be climate change in action. Damaging hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons occur in tropical parts of the world, at the time of year when the sea is warmest. So if the world gets warmer still, the risk increases – it’s as simple as that.

• ‘Extreme and unusual’ climate trends continue after record 2016 According to a detailed global analysis from the World Meteorological Organization climate change is reaching disturbing new levels across the Earth. 2016 was not only the warmest year on record, but it saw atmospheric carbon dioxide rise to a new high, while Arctic sea ice recorded a new winter low. The extreme and unusual conditions have continued in 2017.

• Cod and haddock go north due to warming UK seas, as foreign fish arrive Our seafood diet must adapt, say scientists, as climate change forces some favourites to colder waters and threatens others. Britain must prepare itself for invasions of growing numbers of foreign sea creatures attracted by our warming waters, a new report has warned. Some newcomers could have devastating effects, while others could be beneficial. The new study by government marine scientists from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) collaborating with Met Office and Exeter and East Anglia university researchers, was carried out to make more accurate predictions about what will happen in our seas as the planet heats up.

• Invaders in the Arctic: How ships and climate change are bringing strange species to Nunavut As higher temperatures proliferate in Canada’s Arctic, scientists have begun to notice signs of encroaching species from warmer climes. The race is on for them to establish a baseline while they still can.

• Global warming doubles growth rates of Antarctic seabed’s marine fauna Experiment in the Bellingshuan Sea reveals temperature rise has more alarming implications for biodiversity in polar waters than previously thought. Growth rates of some fauna doubled – including colonising moss animals and undersea worms – following a 1C increase in temperature, making them more dominant, pushing out other species and reducing overall levels of biodiversity, according to the study recently published in Current Biology.

News stories: If there are any relevant news items or events that you would like to highlight on the MCCIP website please contact Susana Lincoln at office@mccip.org.uk. New items will be added to the website next month.’