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.
The effects of warming climate on global fish populations have attracted a variety of headlines such as ‘squid & chips’, but also much fuller coverage in press, most recently in the Observer.
MCCIP ‘With a warming climate, fish may end up migrating northward to cooler waters, according to a recent paper published by the Science journal. Fishing is a major commercial industry and source of food for many people around the world, particularly in temperate regions. However, as more carbon dioxide is pumped into the atmosphere, it causes the temperature of the world’s oceans to rise. This can create less-than-ideal conditions for fish and marine life. Instead of living in an unfriendly environment, the fish will start to migrate to the cooler waters near the poles. If, however, countries abide by Paris agreement, fisheries could avoid the loss of 6 million tonnes of fish.
The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017 will spell out what the government believes are the major risks facing Britain as global warming continues. This year the Committee on Climate Change, a body of experts set up under the Climate Change Act to advise the government, said Britain was poorly prepared for global warming. Likely impacts included deadly heatwaves, flooding and food and water shortages. Flooding has already proved to be particularly costly for the UK in recent years, but there are also fears that extremely hot summers could be typical by the middle of the century. Other areas of risk being assessed are also changes to coastlines caused by rising sea levels.