Missing ice and bleached coral: the sudden warming of the oceans

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Financial Times or enjoy below

🗞️ Driving the news: A large-scale rescue operation is taking place in Florida to save corals as rising water temperatures reach a peak of 38.4C.
• Corals are being evacuated to onshore tanks to protect them from bleaching and death under heat stress

🔭 The context: Global sea surface temperatures have been rising by around 0.1C per decade since 1970 but increased 0.2C in the past year, reaching an all-time high just short of 21C on August 1
• The rise is attributed to human-induced CO2 emissions, and it's causing serious consequences for marine life, including coral reefs and fish populations

🌎 Why does it matter for the planet: The rising ocean temperatures and associated phenomena are contributing to various disruptions, including oxygen loss, fish kills, harmful algal blooms, and disrupted fish spawning

⏭️ What's next: Organizations like Florida's Coral Restoration Foundation are actively working on coral conservation, and international charities are developing global warning and response networks 
• The survival of many coral reefs may require human intervention, and there is a growing call for large-scale climate action and a shift to alternatives to fossil fuels

💬 One quote: "Scientists [...] argue for courage in the face of grim scientific findings and emphasize the need for large-scale climate action, even as public sentiment may be turning against continuous bad news regarding the environment." (Clive Cookson, FT Science Editor)

📈 One stat: 90% of coral reefs are expected to bleach annually by 2050 

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