As ocean temperatures rise across the Pacific, nations like Tuvalu, Kiribati, New Zealand, and Australia are facing critical challenges. The warming sea is harming fish populations and intensifying storms, putting cultural heritage at risk and forcing some communities to relocate.
With hurricane season approaching, scientists emphasize that urgent action on emissions is needed. If we don’t act quickly, these nations will experience even more climate-related disasters and significant harm to marine life.
Dr. Lualawi Mareshet Admasu, an atmospheric scientist at the University of British Columbia, explains that warm waters push the jet stream north, causing unusual weather patterns like prolonged droughts and severe cyclones. He points out that the Pacific Ocean absorbs around 90% of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gases. Consequently, as the ocean reaches its limit, the effects become more pronounced and widespread.
For low-lying nations like Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands, this warming poses severe dangers. Stronger storms threaten homes and freshwater supplies, while rising sea levels endanger agricultural lands. In Fiji and Vanuatu, marine heatwaves can devastate reef systems that communities rely on for food and income.
New Zealand is also feeling the heat. Reports of unprecedented marine heat events around the South Island affect fish stocks and aquaculture, disrupting the livelihoods of Māori communities connected to the sea. Changing patterns in weather lead to increased risks of both floods and droughts, threatening food security.
Australia faces its own set of challenges as warmer ocean temperatures contribute to extreme weather events, from bushfires to coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef. Marine heatwaves, reminiscent of the “blob” that affected North America from 2013, are now regular occurrences off the Australian coast, putting fisheries and coastal ecosystems at risk.
The message is urgent. Marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe. Experts warn that without significant reductions in emissions, we will continue to experience these devastating trends. As a representative from a Pacific Island climate delegation stated at a recent conference, “In the Pacific, the ocean is everything. When the ocean suffers, our people suffer.”
While Canada and other regions may experience unusual weather patterns as a side effect of ocean warming, the Pacific islands confront immediate threats—failing fisheries, cultural loss, and climate migration issues that challenge their sovereignty.
For more information on the impact of climate change on our oceans, check out the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
