Rising Ocean Temperatures Could Irreversibly Harm Marine Life, Study

A new study has stressed the need to put in measures that will help reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases.

The scientists have warned about the dangers to the marine ecosystem and the irreversible damages caused on marine life by resulting carbon di oxide emissions.

The research paper of the Ocean 2015 initiative published in the Journal Science talks in detail about the effects global warming could have on our planet.

"To date, the oceans have essentially been the planet's refrigerator and carbon dioxide storage locker. For instance, since the 1970s they've absorbed roughly 93 percent of the additional heat produced by the greenhouse effect, greatly helping to slow the warming of our planet," said co-author Hans-Otto Portner, researcher at Alfred Wegener Institute, at Potsdam in Germany.

"If we can successfully limit the rise in air temperature to two degrees Celsius through the year 2100, the risks, especially for warm-water corals and bivalves in low to middle latitudes, will become critical. However, the remaining risks will remain fairly moderate," said lead author Jean-Pierre Gattuso.

"If instead carbon dioxide emissions remain at their current level of 36 billion tonnes per year (the 2013 level), the situation will escalate dramatically," Gattuso said.

"If we just go on with business as usual, by the end of this century the changes will hit nearly every ecosystem in the oceans and cause irreparable harm for marine life," Portner added.

This could in turn have a major effect in all areas where the human population need to come into contact with ocean bodies. The impact will then be felt by the tourism industry, fisheries and even the governing bodies in charge of coastal protection.

"The ocean provides compelling arguments for rapid reductions in CO2 emissions and eventually atmospheric CO2 drawdown. Hence, any new global climate agreement that does not minimize the impacts on the ocean will be inadequate," Portner said.