Report: Ocean Animals Could Face Mass Extinction From Climate Change

APR 28 2022·Updated JAN 20 2023

Story

Image credit: AP [via Washington Post]

The Facts

According to a study released Thurs. in the journal Science, roughly a third of all marine animals could vanish within 300 years if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed.
wapo
The researchers warned that by ~2100, the rate of loss of marine animals could mirror the 'Great Dying,' Earth's deadliest extinction event. The Great Dying saw the loss of 95% of all marine species when it occurred around 250M years ago.
Daily Mail
Changing conditions from climate change are believed to be killing species through warming temperatures and oxygen depletion, and are compounded by overfishing, pollution and habitat loss.
wapo
The report affirms that this scenario can be avoided by taking swift action to curb fossil fuel use and restoring degraded ecosystems, which could cut potential extinctions by 70%.
Wired
A separate report on Wed. projected that 1/5 reptile species also face extinction, with crocodiles and turtles most threatened.
ITN

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

This is an important paper. It adds to the huge body of evidence that, unless more is done to curb our greenhouse gas emissions, our marine systems could see extinction events that rival Earth's largest mass extinctions. If we don't do anything about this, we're in deep trouble.

nytimes

Narrative B

This is an instructive, but unlikely scenario. Life in the ocean is complex and there's a lot we just don't know about marine life and changing conditions. We can't forget that species are resilient and have their own ways of adapting.

Environment Co