# data[].attributes.headline
Richard - Melting ice caps and ocean life

# data[].attributes.subject
Richard - Melting ice caps and ocean life

# data[].attributes.body
Due to greenhouse gas emissions by humans, we are experiencing global warming. This warming has numerous negative effects including Coral bleaching, polar ice melting, rising sea levels, warming ocean's alter currents, and finally changes in the ocean's chemistry.

https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-ways-that-climate-change-affects-the-ocean?gclid=CjwKCAjwvsqZBhAlEiwAqAHElcdCKd49_Zuqf7XOJskebsOs3BjzR5eN-dZ2A1i2ewdfT8hxTbjj3BoC-Q4QAvD_BwE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For an ecosystem that covers 70 percent of the planet, oceans get no respect.

They feed us, provide most of the oxygen we breathe and protect us from the worst effects of global warming. Were it not for the oceans, climate change would have already made Earth uninhabitable.

How?

The oceans have absorbed more than 90 percent of the global warming created by humans since the 1970s. Had that heat gone into the atmosphere, global average temperatures would have jumped by almost 56 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

But as vast as the seas are, there is a limit to how much heat they can absorb - and they are beginning to reach it. Conservation News examines some of the ways that climate change affects life in the oceans - and what that means for humanity.

1. Higher temperatures are bad for fish - and for us

Persistently rising temperatures are having cascading effects on marine life. Consider:

Warmer waters cause coral bleaching, which in turn impacts coral reef ecosystems that are home to a dizzying array of marine biodiversity - and provide crucial sources of food for people.

Warmer waters threaten to cause mass migration of marine species in search of the right conditions for feeding and spawning. For example, Conservation International research revealed that ocean warming is altering the habitats of tuna, causing them to move significantly to the east of the Pacific Islands. This mass exodus could be catastrophic for the economies of many Pacific Island countries such as Fiji and the Cook Islands.

Change in water temperatures can directly affect the development and growth of most fish and cephalopods (such as octopus and squid).

For the 3 billion people who rely on fish as their chief source of protein, the prospect of fewer and smaller fish in the sea is bad news.

2. Polar ice is melting

In what has become a dismal annual pattern, wintertime Arctic sea ice continues to dip to new lows as the oceans warm.

Meanwhile, Antarctica is shrinking underwater, as submerged ice is rapidly melting, according to recent studies.

The effects of this warming on iconic species such as polar bears are well-documented. Under the surface, though, the problem is no less urgent. Consider:

The production of algae - the foundation of the Arctic food web - depends on the presence of sea ice. As sea ice diminishes, algae does too, causing a ripple effect on species from Arctic cod to seals, whales and polar bears.

Dwindling sea ice results in the loss of vital habitat for seals, walruses, penguins, whales and other megafauna.

Sea ice is a critical habitat for Antarctic krill, the food source for many seabirds and mammals in the Southern Ocean. As sea ice has receded in recent years, Antarctic krill populations have dropped, resulting in declines in the species that depend on the krill.

What does this mean for us? Impacts to Arctic cod fisheries are having cascading effects, culminating in human-wildlife conflict and food insecurity. A dramatic decrease in sea ice - and seafood - pushes polar bears toward coastal communities and hunting camps to find food, bringing them into closer contact and potential conflict with people.

3. Rising sea levels represent a slow, seemingly unstoppable threat

Climate change poses a dual threat for sea levels.

For one, when land-based polar ice melts, it finds its way to the sea. (Ice that forms in polar seas, on the other hand, doesn't affect sea levels when it melts.) Second, when water warms, it expands to take up more space - a major yet unheralded cause of sea-level rise.

With sea-level rise accelerating at a rate of about one-eighth of an inch per year, the effects on humanity are plain:

Higher ocean temperatures are melting polar ice and glaciers from the Greenland and Antarctic sheets at a rapid rate, resulting in an unprecedented rise of sea levels that has the potential to displace more than 680 million people living across low-lying coastal communities, according to a 2019 UN report.

Recent research revealed that several major coastal cities could be almost entirely underwater due to sea level rise by the middle of the century, including Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Shanghai, China; and Mumbai, India.

The effects of sea-level rise on wildlife are less explored but no less important:

The survival of coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses and other critical habitat-forming species hinges on their ability to move into shallower waters. Slow-growing species are most unlikely to be able to keep pace with the rising sea level.

Critical coastal habitats - for instance, sea turtle nesting beaches - are lost as the sea level rises. Natural and man-made barriers such as cliffs, mangrove forests, sea walls and coastal developments stand in the way of them migrating further inland.

4. Warming oceans alter currents

Climate change affects ocean temperatures as well as wind patterns - taken together, these can alter oceanic currents.

How does this affect wildlife?

As mentioned earlier, many marine species' migratory patterns can change as the currents they follow are altered. And many species that depend on ocean currents for reproduction and nutrients will be affected. For example, reef-building coral and reef fish species rely on dispersal of their larvae by currents.

The impacts of changes in ocean currents on humanity could be severe, as currents play a major role in maintaining Earth's climate. For example, Europe's relatively mild climate is maintained in part by the large Atlantic current called the Gulf Stream, which is experiencing an " unprecedented slowdown." Changing these currents will have major implications worldwide for the climate, including changes in rainfall - with more rain in some areas and much less in others - and fluctuating air temperatures. These changes have drastic implications for countless species, including humans.

5. Climate change is affecting the chemistry of seawater

The same burning of fossil fuels that increases greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, is also altering the chemical composition of seawater by making it more acidic. The ocean absorbs 30 percent of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere - and when that carbon dissolves into the water, it forms carbonic acid.

How much does this affect marine life? A lot.

Acidification can dissolve the calcium carbonate shells of marine species such as corals, scallops, lobsters and crabs, and some microscopic plankton that are a foundation of the food web throughout the ocean. These shell-forming organisms provide critical habitats and food sources for other marine life. Increased acidification can also limit the ability of certain fish to detect predators, disrupting the entire marine food chain.

The disruption and destruction of coral reefs and shellfish will have profound effects on humanity, chiefly in the form of less food for people who rely on the ocean for it.
Jessica Pink was an editorial intern for Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? Sign up for email updates. Donate to Conservation International. Further reading:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 ways that climate change affects the ocean

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For an ecosystem that covers 70 percent of the planet, oceans get no respect. They feed us, provide most of the oxygen we breathe and protect us from the worst effects of global warming. Were it not for the oceans, climate change would have already made Earth uninhabitable. How?

# data[].attributes.headline
Abbey - Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply

# data[].attributes.subject
Abbey - Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply

# data[].attributes.body
Agriculture and food supply are being impacted by climate change because they are highly dependent on climate. Increases in temperature and greenhouse gases are disrupting the environment crops need for growth. Changes in the frequency and severity of storms, droughts, and floods could also create difficulties for farmers and ranchers and threaten food safety. Additionally, the rise in water temperatures are likely to cause the habitat ranges of many fish and shellfish species to shift, which may disturb ecosystems.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On This Page:

Overview

Agriculture is an important sector of the U.S. economy. The crops, livestock, and seafood produced in the United States contribute more than $300 billion to the economy each year. When food-service and other agriculture-related industries are included, the agricultural and food sectors contribute more than $750 billion to the gross domestic product.

Agriculture and fisheries are highly dependent on the climate. Increases in temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2) can increase some crop yields in some places. But to realize these benefits, nutrient levels, soil moisture, water availability, and other conditions must also be met. Changes in the frequency and severity of droughts and floods could pose challenges for farmers and ranchers and threaten food safety. Meanwhile, warmer water temperatures are likely to cause the habitat ranges of many fish and shellfish species to shift, which could disrupt ecosystems. Overall, climate change could make it more difficult to grow crops, raise animals, and catch fish in the same ways and same places as we have done in the past. The effects of climate change also need to be considered along with other evolving factors that affect agricultural production, such as changes in farming practices and technology.

Impacts on Crops

Crops grown in the United States are critical for the food supply here and around the world. U.S. farms supply nearly 25% of all grains (such as wheat, corn, and rice) on the global market.[4] Changes in temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO ₂), and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather could have significant impacts on crop yields.

For any particular crop, the effect of increased temperature will depend on the crop's optimal temperature for growth and reproduction. In some areas, warming may benefit the types of crops that are typically planted there, or allow farmers to shift to crops that are currently grown in warmer areas. Conversely, if the higher temperature exceeds a crop's optimum temperature, yields will decline.

Higher CO₂ levels can affect crop yields. Some laboratory experiments suggest that elevated CO₂ levels can increase plant growth. However, other factors, such as changing temperatures, ozone, and water and nutrient constraints, may counteract these potential increases in yield. For example, if temperature exceeds a crop's optimal level, if sufficient water and nutrients are not available, yield increases may be reduced or reversed. Elevated CO₂ has been associated with reduced protein and nitrogen content in alfalfa and soybean plants, resulting in a loss of quality. Reduced grain and forage quality can reduce the ability of pasture and rangeland to support grazing livestock.

More extreme temperature and precipitation can prevent crops from growing. Extreme events, especially floods and droughts, can harm crops and reduce yields. For example, in 2010 and 2012, high nighttime temperatures affected corn yields across the U.S. Corn Belt, and premature budding due to a warm winter caused $220 million in losses of Michigan cherries in 2012.

Dealing with drought could become a challenge in areas where rising summer temperatures cause soils to become drier. Although increased irrigation might be possible in some places, in other places water supplies may also be reduced, leaving less water available for irrigation when more is needed.

Many weeds, pests, and fungi thrive under warmer temperatures, wetter climates, and increased CO₂ levels. Currently, U.S. farmers spend more than $11 billion per year to fight weeds, which compete with crops for light, water, and nutrients. The ranges and distribution of weeds and pests are likely to increase with climate change. This could cause new problems for farmers' crops previously unexposed to these species.

Though rising CO₂ can stimulate plant growth, it also reduces the nutritional value of most food crops. Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide reduce the concentrations of protein and essential minerals in most plant species, including wheat, soybeans, and rice. This direct effect of rising CO₂ on the nutritional value of crops represents a potential threat to human health. Human health is also threatened by increased pesticide use due to increased pest pressures and reductions in the efficacy of pesticides.

Impacts on Livestock

Americans consume more than 36 million metric tons of meat and poultry annually. Livestock and poultry account for over half of U.S. agricultural cash receipts, often over $100 billion per year. Changes in climate could affect animals both directly and indirectly.

Heat waves, which are projected to increase under climate change, could directly threaten livestock. In 2011, exposure to high temperature events caused over $1 billion in heat-related losses to agricultural producers. Heat stress affects animals both directly and indirectly. Over time, heat stress can increase vulnerability to disease, reduce fertility, and reduce milk production.

Drought may threaten pasture and feed supplies. Drought reduces the amount of quality forage available to grazing livestock. Some areas could experience longer, more intense droughts, resulting from higher summer temperatures and reduced precipitation. For animals that rely on grain, changes in crop production due to drought could also become a problem.

Climate change may increase the prevalence of parasites and diseases that affect livestock. The earlier onset of spring and warmer winters could allow some parasites and pathogens to survive more easily. In areas with increased rainfall, moisture-reliant pathogens could thrive.

Potential changes in veterinary practices, including an increase in the use of parasiticides and other animal health treatments, are likely to be adopted to maintain livestock health in response to climate-induced changes in pests, parasites, and microbes. This could increase the risk of pesticides entering the food chain or lead to evolution of pesticide resistance, with subsequent implications for the safety, distribution, and consumption of livestock and aquaculture products.

Increases in carbon dioxide (CO₂) may increase the productivity of pastures, but may also decrease their quality. Increases in atmospheric CO₂ can increase the productivity of plants on which livestock feed. However, the quality of some of the forage found in pasturelands decreases with higher CO₂. As a result, cattle would need to eat more to get the same nutritional benefits.

Impacts on Fisheries

American fishermen catch or harvest five million metric tons of fish and shellfish each year. U.S. fisheries contribute more than $1.55 billion to the economy annually (as of 2012). Many fisheries already face multiple stresses, including overfishing and water pollution. Climate change may worsen these stresses. In particular, temperature changes could lead to significant impacts.

The ranges of many fish and shellfish species may change. In waters off the northeastern United States, several economically important species have shifted northward since the late 1960s. The three species shown in [the figure to the left] (American lobster, red hake, and black sea bass) have moved northward by an average of 119 miles.

Many aquatic species can find colder areas of streams and lakes or move north along the coast or in the ocean. Nevertheless, moving into new areas may put these species into competition with other species over food and other resources, as explained on the Ecosystems Impacts page.

Some marine disease outbreaks have been linked with changing climate. Higher water temperatures and higher estuarine salinities have enabled an oyster parasite to spread farther north along the Atlantic coast. Winter warming in the Arctic is contributing to salmon diseases in the Bering Sea and a resulting reduction in the Yukon Chinook Salmon, Finally, warmer temperatures have caused disease outbreaks in coral, eelgrass, and abalone.

Changes in temperature and seasons can affect the timing of reproduction and migration. Many steps within an aquatic animal's lifecycle are controlled by temperature and the changing of the seasons. For example, in the Northwest warmer water temperatures may affect the lifecycle of salmon and increase the likelihood of disease. Combined with other climate impacts, these effects are projected to lead to large declines in salmon populations.

In addition to warming, the world's oceans are gradually becoming more acidic due to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO ₂). Increasing acidity could harm shellfish by weakening their shells, which are created by removing calcium from seawater. Acidification also threatens the structures of sensitive ecosystems upon which some fish and shellfish rely.

International Impacts

Climate change is very likely to affect food security at the global, regional, and local level. Climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality. For example, projected increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in extreme weather events, and reductions in water availability may all result in reduced agricultural productivity. Increases in the frequency and severity extreme weather events can also interrupt food delivery, and resulting spikes in food prices after extreme events are expected to be more frequent in the future. Increasing temperatures can contribute to spoilage and contamination.

Internationally, these effects of climate change on agriculture and food supply are likely to be similar to those seen in the United States. However, other stressors such as population growth may magnify the effects of climate change on food security. In developing countries, adaptation options like changes in crop-management or ranching practices, or improvements to irrigation are more limited than in the United States and other industrialized nations.

Any climate-related disturbance to food distribution and transport, internationally or domestically, may have significant impacts not only on safety and quality but also on food access. For example, the food transportation system in the United States frequently moves large volumes of grain by water. In the case of an extreme weather event affecting a waterway, there are few, if any, alternate pathways for transport. High temperatures and a shortage of rain in the summer of 2012 led to one of the most severe summer droughts the nation has seen and posed serious impacts to the Mississippi River watershed, a major transcontinental shipping route for Midwestern agriculture. This drought resulted in significant food and economic losses due to reductions in barge traffic, the volume of goods carried, and the number of Americans employed by the tugboat industry. The 2012 drought was immediately followed by flooding throughout the Mississippi in the spring of 2013, which also resulted in disruptions of barge traffic and food transport. Transportation changes such as these reduce the ability of farmers to export their grains to international markets, and can affect global food prices.

Impacts to the global food supply concern the United States because food shortages can cause humanitarian crises and national security concerns. They also can increase domestic food prices.

References
[6] CCSP (2008). The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States. A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. Backlund, P., A. Janetos, D. Schimel, J. Hatfield, K. Boote, P. Fay, L. Hahn, C. Izaurralde, B.A. Kimball, T. Mader, J. Morgan, D. Ort, W. Polley, A. Thomson, D. Wolfe, M. Ryan, S. Archer, R. Birdsey, C. Dahm, L. Heath, J. Hicke, D. Hollinger, T. Huxman, G. Okin, R. Oren, J. Randerson, W. Schlesinger, D. Lettenmaier, D. Major, L. Poff, S. Running, L. Hansen, D. Inouye, B.P. Kelly, L Meyerson, B. Peterson, and R. Shaw. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA. [8] USDA (2012). 2012 Census of Agriculture: Volume 1, Chapter 1: U.S. National Level Data, Table 33. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Climate Impacts on Agriculture and Food Supply

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Agriculture is an important sector of the U.S. economy. The crops, livestock, and seafood produced in the United States contribute more than $300 billion to the economy each year. When food-service and other agriculture-related industries are included, the agricultural and food sectors contribute more than $750 billion to the gross domestic product.

# data[].attributes.body
Even if humanity stopped emitting greenhouse gases all together, the icecaps are still going to melt and cause a rise in sea level. The estimated minimum rise is 27cm.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now inevitable, scientists have found, even if the fossil fuel burning that is driving the climate crisis were to end overnight.

The research shows the global heating to date will cause an absolute minimum sea-level rise of 27cm (10.6in) from Greenland alone as 110tn tonnes of ice melt. With continued carbon emissions, the melting of other ice caps and thermal expansion of the ocean, a multi-metre sea-level rise appears likely.

Billions of people live in coastal regions, making flooding due to rising sea levels one of the greatest long-term impacts of the climate crisis. If Greenland's record melt year of 2012 becomes a routine occurrence later this century, as is possible, then the ice cap will deliver a "staggering" 78cm of sea-level rise, the scientists said.

Previous studies have used computer models of ice cap behaviour to estimate future losses, but the physical processes are complex and this leads to significant uncertainties in the results.

In contrast, the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change used satellite measurements of ice losses from Greenland and the shape of the ice cap from 2000-19. This data enabled the scientists to calculate how far global heating to date has pushed the ice sheet from an equilibrium where snowfall matches the ice lost. This allowed the calculation of how much more ice must be lost in order to regain stability.

"It is a very conservative rock-bottom minimum," said Prof Jason Box from the National Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Geus), who led the research. "Realistically, we will see this figure more than double within this century."

The 27cm estimate is a minimum because it only accounts for global heating so far and because some ways in which glacier ice is lost at the margins of the ice sheet are not included.

The advantage of this study is that it provides a solid estimate of inevitable sea-level rise but the method used does not give a timescale over which the ice will be lost. Nonetheless, based on scientists' overall understanding of how sheets such as Greenland lose ice into the ocean, the researchers said most of the rise would occur relatively soon. In 2021, other scientists warned that a significant part of the Greenland ice sheet was on the brink of a tipping point.

"The minimum of 27cm is the sea-level rise deficit that we have accrued to date and it's going to get paid out, no matter what we do going forward," said Dr William Colgan, also at Geus. "Whether it's coming in 100 years or 150 years, it's coming. And the sea-level rise we are committed to is growing at present, because of the climate trajectory we're on."

Colgan said: "If [2012] becomes a normal year, then the committed loss grows to 78cm, which is staggering, and the fact that we're already flickering into that range [of ice loss] is shocking. But the difference between 78cm and 27cm highlights the [difference] that can be made through implementing the Paris agreement. There is still a lot of room to minimise the damage."

skip past newsletter promotion
Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
after newsletter promotion

Mountain glaciers in the Himalayas and the Alps are already on course to lose a third and half of their ice respectively, while the west Antarctic ice sheet is also thought by some scientists to be past the point at which major losses are inevitable. Warming oceans also expand, adding to sea-level rise.

"There is growing support in the scientific literature for multi-metre levels of rise within the next 100 to 200 years," said Colgan. A collapse of the colossal east Antarctic ice sheet, which would lead to a 52-metre rise in sea levels over millenia if it all melted, could be averted if rapid climate action is taken.

Prof Gail Whiteman, at the University of Exeter, who was not part of the study team, said: "The results of this new study are hard to ignore for all business leaders and politicians concerned about the future of humanity. It is bad news for the nearly 600 million people that live in coastal zones [less than 10m above sea level] worldwide. As sea levels rise, they will be increasingly vulnerable, and it threatens approximately $1tn of global wealth." She said political leaders must rapidly scale up funding for climate adaptation and damage.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Major sea-level rise caused by melting of Greenland ice cap is 'now inevitable'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Loss will contribute a minimum rise of 27cm regardless of what climate action is taken, scientists discover

# data[].attributes.body
The rising global temperatures and sudden climate change have already caused the extinctions of several animals, and it’s currently placing many other animals, both mammals and invertebrates under severe risk from extinction. This is a significant issue as lost of biodiversity may lead to the lost of our current ecosystem.

https://www.businessinsider.com/mass-animal-extinctions-climate-change-un-ipcc-report-2022-3

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Half of plant and animal species could be threatened if global temperatures rise 4 degrees Celsius.

A new climate report warns of mass extinctions of animals, including polar bears and penguins.

Up to 14% of land species could face a high risk of extinction if global temperatures rise less than half of a degree.

Hundreds of species have been wiped out by extreme heat or warming oceans, but few global animal extinctions have been directly linked to climate change.

In 2009, a combination of sea-level rise and storm surge in the Great Barrier Reef led to the disappearance of the Bramble Cay mosaic-tailed rat. Seven years later, the species became the first mammal to go extinct due to human-induced climate change.

The world can expect many more climate-related extinctions in coming decades if global temperatures continue to rise. That's according to a report released Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN body that summarizes years of research on the climate crisis.

If global temperatures reach 4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels - a scenario that assumes very high levels of greenhouse gas emissions - half of our plant and animal species could be threatened, according to the report. At that level of warming, the world could see mass mortalities and extinctions that permanently alter rainforests, kelp forests, and tropical coral reefs.

Even if global temperatures reach 1.5 degrees Celsius, the report found, up to 14% of land species could face high risk of extinction. Human-caused emissions have already led the planet to warm by 1.1 degrees Celsius in the last 170 years, last year's portion of the IPCC report found.

Under 2 degrees of warming, up 18% of land species could be at high risk of extinction. That risk rises to up to 29% under 3 degrees of warming, up to 39% at 4 degrees, and up to 48% at 5 degrees.

Invertebrate species face one of the highest risks of extinction from mid-levels of warming (3.2 degrees Celsius), according to the report. Under this scenario, 15% of invertebrates - including 24% of salamanders and 11% of amphibians - could go extinct.

No matter what happens to global temperatures, the report said, the extinction of species is an irreversible impact of climate change.

Arctic penguins, seals, and polar bears are at risk of extinction

Species in cold areas, including high mountains or polar regions, face a particularly high extinction risk.

Arctic animals such as penguins, seals, and polar bears would be seriously threatened by 2 degrees of warming or less, according to the report. The animals have evolved to live on sea ice, which is rapidly retreating due to rising temperatures. The report predicts that sea ice will completely disappear in summertime within the next century.

That means some Arctic animals could go extinct in coming decades, unless they're moved to new locations.

But relocating animals to foreign habitats is tricky: For instance, moving polar bears to Antarctica could lead them to prey on local penguin populations there. In some cases, animal species may need to be moved to zoos to keep them from dying out.

Tropical areas face their own threats, such as heatwaves destroying coral reefs and mangroves. Up to 90% of tropical coral reefs could be lost by mid-century under 1.5 degrees of warming, the report found, while the reefs could go entirely extinct under 2 degrees of warming.

Animal extinctions could threaten human health, too

In some cases, the extinction of animal species can topple entire ecosystems.

Ecosystems depend on biodiversity - a variety of plants, animals, and other organisms - to protect them from pollution, extreme weather, and temperature shifts. But if one species dies out, it makes it harder for others to survive. Loss of biodiversity can, in turn, lead to crop failure and water scarcity, according to the report.

Just a half-degree of additional warming could mean the difference between whether a species stays alive or not.

The IPCC authors found that the extinction risk for local species in biodiversity hotspots could double between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees of warming, and increase at least 10-fold from 1.5 degrees to 3 degrees.

The death of animal species has consequences for humans, too.

More than 400 million people in Africa and Asia depend on fisheries for protein. Even if warming doesn't exceed 1.6 degrees, fisheries in Africa's tropical regions could lose up to 41% of their yield by the end of the century due to the extinction of local marine fish.

Commonly consumed fish like sardines and herring could also face extinction as oceans warm.

"This matters for human well-being as well," David Dodman, a lead author of the report and director of human settlements at the International Institute for Environment and Development, told Insider.

"So many people around the world still rely on very close interactions with natural ecosystems to provide them with food and to provide them with livelihoods."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UN report warns of climate-related mass extinctions, including the disappearance of penguins and polar bears

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Half of plant and animal species could be threatened if global temperatures rise 4 degrees Celsius. A new climate report warns of mass extinctions of animals, including polar bears and penguins. Up to 14% of land species could face a high risk of extinction if global temperatures rise less than half of a degree.

# data[].attributes.body
-Sea level rise caused by climate change makes tsunamis happen more frequently.

-The climate change makes frozen soil melt and cause more intense rainfall. These are elements that can cause landslides which make tsunamis occur.

-Icebergs calve or collapse more frequently because of climate change. This will also cause tsunamis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Shutterstock

The enormous eruption of the underwater volcano in Tonga, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, triggered a tsunami that reached countries all around the Pacific rim, even causing a disastrous oil spill along 21 beaches in Peru.

In Tonga, waves about 2 metres high were recorded before the sea level gauge failed, and waves of up to 15m hit the west coasts of Tongatapu Islands, 'Eua, and Ha'apai Islands. Volcanic activity could continue for weeks or months, but it's hard to predict if or when there'll be another such powerful eruption.

Most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes, but a significant percentage (about 15%) are caused by landslides or volcanoes. Some of these may be interlinked - for example, landslide tsunamis are often triggered by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.

But does climate change also play a role? As the planet warms, we're seeing more frequent and intense storms and cyclones, the melting of glaciers and ice caps, and sea levels rising. Climate change, however, doesn't just affect the atmosphere and oceans, it affects the Earth's crust as well.

Climate-linked geological changes can increase the incidence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions which, in turn, can exacerbate the threat of tsunamis. Here are five ways this can happen.

1. Sea level rise

If greenhouse gas emissions remain at high rates, the average global sea level is projected to rise between 60 centimetres and 1.1m. Almost two thirds of the world's cities with populations over five million are at risk.

Rising sea levels not only make coastal communities more vulnerable to flooding from storms, but also tsunamis. Even modest rises in sea level will dramatically increase the frequency and intensity of flooding when a tsunami occurs, as the tsunami can travel further inland.

For example, a 2018 study showed only a 50 centimetre rise would double the frequency of tsunami-induced flooding in Macau, China. This means in future, smaller tsunamis could have the same impact as larger tsunamis would today.

2. Landslides

A warming climate can increase the risk of both submarine (underwater) and aerial (above ground) landslides, thereby increasing the risk of local tsunamis.

The melting of permafrost (frozen soil) at high latitudes decreases soil stability, making it more susceptible to erosion and landslides. More intense rainfall can trigger landslides, too, as storms become more frequent under climate change.

Tsunamis can be generated on impact as a landslide enters the water, or as water is moved by a rapid underwater landslide.

Read more: Waves from the Tonga tsunami are still being felt in Australia - and even a 50cm surge could knock you off your feet

In general, tsunami waves generated from landslides or rock falls dissipate quickly and don't travel as far as tsunamis generated from earthquakes, but they can still lead to huge waves locally.

In Alaska, US, glacial retreat and melting permafrost has exposed unstable slopes. In 2015, this melting caused a landslide that sent 180 million tonnes of rock into a narrow fjord, generating a tsunami reaching 193m high - one of the highest ever recorded worldwide.

Other areas at risk include northwest British Columbia in Canada, and the Barry Arm in Alaska, where an unstable mountain slope at the toe of the Barry Glacier has the potential to fail and generate a severe tsunami in the next 20 years.

3. Iceberg calving and collapsing ice shelves

Global warming is accelerating the rate of iceberg calving - when chunks of ice fall into the ocean.

Studies predict large ice shelves, such as the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, will likely collapse in the next five to ten years. Likewise, the Greenland ice sheet is thinning and retreating at an alarming rate.

While much of the current research focus is on the sea level risk associated with melting and collapse of glaciers and ice sheets, there's also a tsunami risk from the calving and breakup process.

Wandering icebergs can trigger submarine landslides and tsunamis thousands of kilometres from the iceberg's original source, as they hit unstable sediments on the seafloor.

4. Volcanic activity from ice melting

About 12,000 years ago, the last glacial period ("ice age") ended and the melting ice triggered a dramatic increase in volcanic activity.

The correlation between climate warming and more volcanic eruptions isn't yet well constrained or understood. But it may be related to changes in stress to the Earth's crust as the weight of ice is removed, and a phenomenon called " isostatic rebound " - the long-term uplift of land in response to the removal of ice sheets.

If this correlation holds for the current period of climate warming and melting of ice in high latitudes, there'll be an increased risk of volcanic eruptions and associated hazards, including tsunamis.

5. Increased earthquakes

There are a number ways climate change can increase the frequency of earthquakes, and so increase tsunami risk.

First, the weight of ice sheets may be suppressing fault movement and earthquakes. When the ice melts, the isostatic rebound (land uplift) is accompanied by an increase in earthquakes and fault movement as the crust adjusts to the loss of weight.

We may have seen this already in Alaska, where melting glaciers reduced the stability of faults, inducing many small earthquakes and possibly the magnitude 7.2 St Elias earthquake in 1979.

Another factor is low air pressure associated with storms and typhoons, which studies have also shown can trigger earthquakes in areas where the Earth's crust is already under stress. Even relatively small changes in air pressure can trigger fault movements, as an analysis of earthquakes between 2002 and 2007 in eastern Taiwan identified.

So how can we prepare?

Many mitigation strategies for climate change should also include elements to improve tsunami preparedness.

This could include incorporating projected sea level rise into tsunami prediction models, and in building codes for infrastructure along vulnerable coastlines.

Researchers can also ensure scientific models of climate impacts include the projected increase in earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity, and the increased tsunami risk this will bring.

Read more: What causes a tsunami? An ocean scientist explains the physics of these destructive waves

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 ways climate change increases the threat of tsunamis, from collapsing ice shelves to sea level rise

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The enormous eruption of the underwater volcano in Tonga, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, triggered a tsunami that reached countries all around the Pacific rim, even causing a disastrous oil spill along 21 beaches in Peru. In Tonga, waves about 2 metres high were recorded before the sea level gauge failed, and waves of up to 15m hit the west coasts of Tongatapu Islands, 'Eua, and Ha'apai Islands.

# data[].attributes.body
As humans pour CO2 into the atmosphere the oceans absorb 90% of the heat. This causes the H2O particles to expand. It also causes ice such as ice caps and glaciers to melt. This all contributes to the oceans rising.

# data[].attributes.body
With the climate change, there are geadually insufficient resources in the world, which means people even have to fight for resouces. Therefore, the wars can take place all over the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As climate change has caused global temperatures to rise, there also seems to be an ever-growing number of conflicts around the world. So, what is the evidence linking climate change to war?

Alarmingly, several studies suggest that climate change makes conflicts such as civil war or genocide more likely. It is important to note that climate change alone has not been proven to increase the likelihood of discord; however, climate change compounded with challenging economic, political, or social conditions can heighten the risk of conflict. Climate change is a threat multiplier, which means it amplifies problems already facing the world. Stressors such as poverty, political instability, and crime are magnified by increased droughts, floods, or heat waves.

As anthropogenic climate change continues to alter the environment, scientists have been tracking an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Extreme weather events adversely affect communities around the world as they experience unusually warm winters or sweltering summer temperatures much higher than usual. Fluctuating temperatures may not derail urban areas that have adequate coping capacities, but they are detrimental to communities that depend on agriculture or other natural resources for their livelihoods.

Increases in various climate-related disturbances such as floods, droughts, or fires further stress already-vulnerable communities and threaten their livelihoods. Evidence links rise in temperature to a rise in civil war. Researchers at Princeton University and UC Berkeley found that a rise in average annual temperature by even 1° Celsius (1.8° Fahrenheit) leads to a 4.5% increase in civil war that year. There has been a global increase in the incidence of civil war following World War II, with civil wars even having a greater number of casualties than international wars. Civil wars are dangerous, and climate change is making them more common.

Syria has been engulfed in a civil war since 2011. Experts agree that a detrimental drought played a major role in triggering the war. Climate modeling at UC Santa Barbara shows that greenhouse gas emissions made the drought two times more likely than it would have been with natural fluctuation. Drought and famine still plague the country. While acknowledging that factors such as economic hardship, corrupt leadership, and inequality factor into Syria's uprising, the severe drought played a significant role. It was worsened by climate change, and as farmers were forced to flee to cities to find food for their starving families, tensions continued to amass. A climate change fueled drought coupled with Syria's weak economy, poor governance, and social inequality made the perfect breeding ground for civil war.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is climate change causing more wars? - The YEARS Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As climate change has caused global temperatures to rise, there also seems to be an ever-growing number of conflicts around the world. So, what is the evidence linking climate change to war? Alarmingly, several studies suggest that climate change makes conflicts such as civil war or genocide more likely.

# data[].attributes.body
Due to global warming more sever and more repeating has caused the ground to errode. This has pushed up many coffins that now float

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
caskets are still scattered around a louisiana community as residents struggle to recover from hurricane ida - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Caskets are still scattered around a Louisiana community as residents struggle to recover from Hurricane Ida

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hurricane Ida devastated Ironton, Louisiana, as it made its deadly march inland, with powerful flood waters that knocked homes off their foundations, swamped buildings with several feet of water and swept caskets out of their tombs, scattering them around the community.

# data[].attributes.headline
Julia - Hurricanes - increased intensity of storms

# data[].attributes.subject
Julia - Hurricanes - increased intensity of storms

# data[].attributes.body
Because warmer water helps fuel hurricanes, climate change is enlarging the zone where hurricanes can form.

# data[].attributes.body
Wildfires are becoming more common, with much more land being vulnerable to being burned than before. The smoke from these wildfires is also erasing our progress to reduce emissions and GHG concentrations in the air.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wildfire Smoke Is Erasing Progress on Clean Air

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
New maps reveal a picture of daily exposure to wildfire smoke in better geographic detail than ever before.

# data[].attributes.body
Lake Mead in Nevada has hit its lowest water levels since the 1930s due to climate change-induced droughts. The lake is very important as it is used to generate electricity and supplies water to about 25 million people. The water level is dropping faster than expected, despite being only 36% of full capacity. - Sofia P.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lake Mead hit record-low water levels last week, highlighting the severe drought sweeping through the western United States, report Reuters ' Daniel Trotta and Andrea Januta.

Formed by damming the Colorado River, the body of water is technically a reservoir of the Hoover Dam. As of last week, the reservoir is just 200 feet above "dead pool" level, the point in which water cannot pass through Hoover Dam. A white "bathtub ring" on the lake's shores marks how much water has retreated over time. At only 36 percent of full capacity, the water level is decreasing at a faster rate than previously projected, reports Ian James for Arizona Republic.

Constructed in 1937, Lake Mead is one of the largest human-made lakes in the world, covering up to 248 square miles when full, reports Matthew Cappucci for the Washington Post. The reservoir is considered at full capacity when water rises to 1,219.6 feet above sea level, but it's able to hold a maximum of 1,229 feet of water. In 1983, the lake reached its highest recorded water level at 1,225 feet.

Since 2000, the water level has dropped 140 feet, Reuters reports. The previous record its low water level was 1,071.6 feet in 2016. Now, the lake has ducked just below that level at 1,071.56 feet. Researchers expect the water will continue receding for at least the next two years.

"It's frightening that it's happening so quickly," water policy expert Felicia Marcus, who is currently a visiting fellow at Stanford University's Water in the West program, tells the Arizona Republic. "It's past yellow alert. It's the red alert,"

The federal government is planning to declare an official water shortage at Lake Mead in August, which will result in large water cuts for Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. Lake Mead generates electricity and supplies water to about 25 million people across tribal lands, farms and major cities, including San Diego, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Las Vegas obtains about 90 percent of its drinking water from Lake Mead, according to the .

At least 4.5 million acres of farmland from Wyoming to the U.S.-Mexico border use water from the Colorado River. About 70 percent of the water supports agriculture, much of which is used to grow the country's winter vegetables.

"We're just desperately looking to the forecast to see when the monsoon might show up," says Michael Crimmins, a University of Arizona climate scientist, in Reuters.

This drought is part of the larger, climate change-induced megadrought affecting water resources and fueling wildfires. In 2020, over five million acres in California, Oregon and Washington burned due to hot and dry conditions. More water cuts will ensue if the reservoir continues to lower.

Representatives from the seven Western states reliant on the Colorado River signed the Drought Contingency Plan two years ago. In doing so, they pledged to potentially cut water deliveries to Arizona, Nevada and California from Lake Mead until 2026. This action will hopefully reduce risk of Lake Mead's water level further dropping.

"We have to get off our butts and go faster on all of it," says Marcus in . "We know what to do. We just have to turn up the volume."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hoover Dam's Lake Mead Hits Lowest Water Level Since 1930s

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lake Mead hit record-low water levels last week, highlighting the severe drought sweeping through the western United States, report Reuters ' Daniel Trotta and Andrea Januta. Formed by damming the Colorado River, the body of water is technically a reservoir of the Hoover Dam.

# data[].attributes.body
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3201/climate-patterns-thousands-of-miles-away-affect-us-bird-migration/

Climate patterns are affecting bird migration thousands of miles away

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Every spring, migratory birds arrive in the continental United States from south and central America to breed. But precisely when they arrive each spring varies from year to year. In a NASA-led study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, scientists have linked this variability to large-scale climate patterns originating thousands of miles away.

Migratory birds benefit ecosystems by helping to control pests, pollinating plants and serving as food for other wildlife. The more land managers know about the current migration patterns of these birds - and the migration patterns that are likely to develop in the future due to climate change - the better they can direct their efforts to protect the birds and to restore and conserve their habitats. This study brings them one step closer to that goal.

Every spring, migratory birds arrive in the continental United States from south and central America to breed. But precisely when they arrive each spring varies from year to year. To better understand what is driving variability, scientists decided to turn to climate models, radar stations and a little bit of math. By studying the link between climate patterns and bird migration, scientists can better prepare to protect these birds and the habitats on which they rely. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The scientists analyzed 23 years of bird migration data collected via NOAA's Next Generation Radar system - a network of 143 radar stations across the continental U.S. - to determine the variability in the birds' arrival times each spring. This is where they made their first discovery: The U.S. could be divided into two regions, east and west, each with a distinct pattern of variability in bird arrival times.

The east region includes all areas east of 102 degrees west longitude - a line that, in the U.S., bisects North Dakota and extends down through Texas. The west region includes all areas west of that line.

Bird migration in the U.S. is monitored in the context of four "flyways" or principle migration routes, two in the eastern U.S. and two in the western U.S. The new research digs into the different influences on each half of the country that affect the timing of environmental cues, such as temperature and weather patterns, that prompt birds to travel along their flyway.

"Our approach doesn't replace the 'flyways' but rather introduces a different geographic framework that reflects the interannual variability of bird migration at the continental scale," said Amin Dezfuli, scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and lead author of the study. "This framework helps us to better understand how climate patterns influence broadscale bird movements and migration variability."

In order to identify what was driving the variability in bird migration in each of these newly-defined regions, the science team analyzed meteorological and climate model data for both. They found that variability in the west region was strongly linked to regional air and sea surface temperature in the adjacent (Pacific) Ocean. For instance, above-average temperatures in the region in 2005 resulted in the birds arriving earlier than average.

They found that variability in the east region, however, was more strongly linked to large-scale atmospheric disturbances called Rossby waves. Rossby waves form due to the Earth's rotation and geography. They help transfer warm air from the tropics poleward and cold polar air to the lower latitudes. Flowing east to west, they can be thousands of miles long and impact weather and climate patterns.

"Using the climate data, we were able to attribute the bird migration patterns, especially in the eastern region of the U.S., to Rossby waves," said Dezfuli. "Rossby waves can be triggered in the tropical Pacific, thousands of kilometers away, and propagate all the way over to the U.S., providing the climatic conditions we associate with these bird migration patterns."

Because Rossby waves can be as long horizontally as the country itself, a peak in the west can bring warm temperatures to that region while a low-pressure trough in the east could bring cooler temperatures and storms to the eastern region at the same time. This ultimately impacts bird migration in both regions.

"Knowing the timing of migration is fundamental to our overall understanding of migration systems," said Kyle Horton, co-author and biologist at Colorado State University. "This study adds a new and important dimension to this understanding, highlighting how interconnected migration systems are with atmospheric circulation - near and far."

Dezfuli is now looking toward how these results may be applied in the future.

"Now that we have established regional-specific associations between climate variability and bird migration patterns, we could next investigate the potential changes in migratory patterns under future climate scenarios," Dezfuli said.

The more scientists and other stakeholders know about climate change's effects on bird migration, the better they can prepare to protect these birds and the habitats on which they rely.

News Media Contact

Ellen Gray, NASA's Earth Science News Team

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
national aeronautics and space administration

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
By Esprit Smith,
NASA's Earth Science News Team

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Climate Patterns Thousands of Miles Away Affect US Bird Migration - Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A NASA-led study links bird migration timing to large-scale climate patterns originating thousands of miles away.

# data[].attributes.body
Makes communities still liveable and put the water and seafood more toxic

Produced by the plastic industry, so the loss of money for the plastic industry if people switch to more environmentally friendly options because of news like this

They cause the same amount of damage or even more as oil spills

230, 000 tonnes of nurdles end up in the ocean annually

Can be up to 2 metres deep in the ocean

found in dead marine life mouths

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When the X-Press Pearl container ship caught fire and sank in the Indian Ocean in May, Sri Lanka was terrified that the vessel's 350 tonnes of heavy fuel oil would spill into the ocean, causing an environmental disaster for the country's pristine coral reefs and fishing industry.

Classified by the UN as Sri Lanka's "worst maritime disaster", the biggest impact was not caused by the heavy fuel oil. Nor was it the hazardous chemicals on board, which included nitric acid, caustic soda and methanol. The most "significant" harm, according to the UN, came from the spillage of 87 containers full of lentil-sized plastic pellets: nurdles.

I've seen some of the dolphins and they had plastic particles inside. There are 20,000 families who had to stop fishing

Hemantha Withanage, environmental campaigner

Since the disaster, nurdles have been washing up in their billions along hundreds of miles of the country's coastline, and are expected to make landfall across Indian Ocean coastlines from Indonesia and Malaysia to Somalia. In some places they are up to 2 metres deep. They have been found in the bodies of dead dolphins and the mouths of fish. About 1,680 tonnes of nurdles were released into the ocean. It is the largest plastic spill in history, according to the UN report.

Nurdles, the colloquial term for "pre-production plastic pellets", are the little-known building block for all our plastic products. The tiny beads can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and other plastics. Released into the environment from plastic plants or when shipped around the world as raw material to factories, they will sink or float, depending on the density of the pellets and if they are in freshwater or saltwater.

They are often mistaken for food by seabirds, fish and other wildlife. In the environment, they fragment into nanoparticles whose hazards are more complex. They are the second-largest source of micropollutants in the ocean, by weight, after tyre dust. An astounding 230,000 tonnes of nurdles end up in oceans every year.

Plastic pellets inside a dead fish washed ashore on a beach near Wellawatta, Sri Lanka. Photograph: Saman Abesiriwardana/Pacific Press/Rex/Shutterstock

Like crude oil, nurdles are highly persistent pollutants, and will continue to circulate in ocean currents and wash ashore for decades. They are also "toxic sponges", which attract chemical toxins and other pollutants on to their surfaces.

"The pellets themselves are a mixture of chemicals - they are fossil fuels," says Tom Gammage, at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), an international campaign group. "But they act as toxic sponges. A lot of toxic chemicals - which in the case of Sri Lanka are already in the water - are hydrophobic [repel water], so they gather on the surface of microplastics.

"Pollutants can be a million times more concentrated on the surface of pellets than in the water," he says. "And we know from lab studies that when a fish eats a pellet, some of those pollutants come loose."

Nurdles collected on Briones beach, Spain. The plastic pellets act as 'toxic sponges' attracting other chemicals to their surface. Photograph: K Berger/PA

Nurdles also act as "rafts" for harmful bacteria such as E coli or even cholera, one study found, transporting them from sewage outfalls and agricultural runoff to bathing waters and shellfish beds. The phenomenon of " plastic rafting " is increasing.

Yet nurdles, unlike substances such as kerosene, diesel and petrol, are not deemed hazardous under the International Maritime Organization's (IMO's) dangerous goods code for safe handling and storage. This is despite the threat to the environment from plastic pellets being known about for three decades, as detailed in a 1993 report from the US government's Environmental Protection Agency on how the plastics industry could reduce spillages.

Now environmentalists are joining forces with the Sri Lankan government in an attempt to turn the X-Press Pearl disaster into a catalyst for change.

When the IMO's marine environment protection committee met in London this week, Sri Lanka's call for nurdles to be classified as hazardous goods attracted public support, with more than 50,000 people signing a petition. "There is nothing to stop what happened in Sri Lanka happening again," says Gammage.

Last year there were at least two nurdle spills. In the North Sea a broken container on the cargo ship MV Trans Carrier lost 10 tonnes of pellets, which washed up on the coasts of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In South Africa, a spill in August 2020 came after an accident in 2018, which affected up to 1,250 miles (2,000km) of coastline. Only 23% of the 49 tonnes that were spilled were recovered. In 2019, 342 containers of plastic pellets spilled into the North Sea.

Awareness is growing about the huge threat posed by the tiny pellets. Last year two environmental protesters in the US were charged under a Louisiana state law with "terrorising" a plastics industry lobbyist when they left a box of nurdles outside his house as part of a campaign to stop the Taiwan-based Formosa Plastics opening a factory in Louisiana.

The nurdles came from another Formosa plant in Texas, which had spilled vast amounts of the pellets into Lavaca Bay on the Gulf of Mexico (Formosa agreed to pay $50m to settle a lawsuit for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act). The charges against the activists, which carried a 15-year prison term, were later dropped.

A dead sea turtle washed ashore at Ratmalana, Sri Lanka. The spillage is thought to have killed 470 turtles, 46 dolphins and eight whales. Photograph: Chamila Karunarathne/EPA

Such incidents are preventable, campaigners say. "The sinking of the X-Press Pearl - and spill of chemical products and plastic pellets into the seas of Sri Lanka - caused untold damage to marine life and destroyed local livelihoods," says Hemantha Withanage, director of the Centre for Environmental Justice in Sri Lanka. Consumption of fish, the main protein source for 40% of Sri Lankans, has reduced drastically, he says. "It was a huge accident and unfortunately there's no guidance from the IMO."

Classifying nurdles as hazardous - as is the case for explosives, flammable liquids and other environmentally harmful substances - would make them subject to strict conditions for shipping. "They must be stored below deck, in more robust packaging with clear labelling," says Tanya Cox, marine plastic specialist at the conservation charity Flora & Fauna International. "They would also be subject to disaster-response protocols that can, if implemented in the event of an emergency, prevent the worst environmental impacts."

But the nurdle can has been kicked down the road, with the IMO secretariat referring the issue to its pollution, prevention and response committee, which meets next year. Campaigners said it was disappointing that the Sri Lankan proposal was not properly discussed. The EIA's Christina Dixon said: "The attitude of the committee members was extraordinary and showed a callous disregard for plastic pollution from ships as a threat to coastal communities, ecosystems and food security. This is simply unacceptable."

Meanwhile, the cleanup continues in Sri Lanka. Some of the 470 turtles, 46 dolphins and eight whales washing ashore have had nurdles in their bodies, says Withanage. While there is no proof the nurdles were responsible, he says: "I've seen some of the dolphins and they had plastic particles inside. There are 20,000 families who have had to stop fishing.

"The fishermen say when they dip [themselves] into the water, the pellets get into their ears. It's affected tourism, everything."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nurdles: the worst toxic waste you've probably never heard of

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Billions of these tiny plastic pellets are floating in the ocean, causing as much damage as oil spills, yet they are still not classified as hazardous

# data[].attributes.body
Ice Caps are melting as global warming due to climate change. This affect the environment because it increases coastal erosion. https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/climate-change/changing-ice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Introduction

Ice is melting at the poles. Impacts will be global.

Ice shelves are massive, floating platforms of ice that surround the ice-covered continents of Antarctica and Greenland. When they melt, sea level isn't directly affected because this ice is already in the ocean. But scientists have learned that floating ice shelves act as dams to glaciers, which are flowing rivers of ice. After the Larsen B Antarctic ice shelf broke up in 2002, glaciers behind the shelf began flowing into the sea much more quickly. Movement of ice from land into the ocean makes sea level rise globally.

Additional Resources

Let's Talk with Christina Hulbe about Studying Ice Flows for Clues to Climate Change

What's better than watching ice melt? Building a computer model to simulate the melting! Ice flow plays an important role in everything from deep ocean circulation patterns to global warming.

Let's Talk with Martin Jeffries about Sea Ice and Climate in Antarctica

At the poles, it's possible to study sea ice that's 3,000 years old. Find out what scientists learn by cutting up ice cores and seeing the ice crystals' many different textures and colors.
Living on Ice
Can you solve these four chilly puzzles about how people and animals live in the Arctic? Put your story-telling skills to the test and collect new OLogy trading cards.

Arctic Story Puzzles

Life in the icy Arctic isn't so hard if you're prepared! Solve the puzzle of how people and polar bears live in a land of ice.

Melting Ice, Rising Seas

Travel to the edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet to find out what could happen if global warming melts it and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Let's Talk with David Bromwich about Meteorology in the Poles

It takes only about a month for any change in Antarctica's weather to be felt in North America-pretty remarkable when you consider that Antarctica is 12,874 kilometers (8,000 miles) away.

Let's Talk with Gerd Wendler about Studying Polar Climate

Talk about the force of gravity-Antarctica's powerful katabatic winds thunder down from the high polar plateau to the coast, creating wind speeds that typically exceed 100 mph every winter month.

Melting Glaciers: Clues to Climate Change

Travel to the Peruvian Andes with a team of glaciologists, who are racing to observe the world's largest tropical ice cap-before global warming melts it away.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Climate Change Effects: Polar Ice Caps Melting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ice is melting at the poles. Impacts will be global. Ice shelves are massive, floating platforms of ice that surround the ice-covered continents of Antarctica and Greenland. When they melt, sea level isn't directly affected because this ice is already in the ocean.