Day of the Oceans, threatened by pollution and climate change

Today, Tuesday 8 June, is World Oceans Day. The WWF shows how climate change has already transformed, sometimes irreversibly, some of the most important marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean, with consequences for economic sectors such as fishing and tourism and changes in our consumption of fish. Urgent action is needed to mitigate further greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the new reality of a warming sea. The effect of the climate crisis is only the first of the themes proposed by the WWF Italia ‘GenerAzioneMare’ campaign which will see volunteers, researchers, sailors, divers and freedivers engaged in the collective defense of our Blue Capital throughout the summer. events will be launched in the coming days together with the Campaign Manifesto with the protection objectives for 2021. With the increase in temperatures 20% faster than the global average and the rise in sea level which should exceed one meter by 2100 , the Mediterranean is becoming the sea with the fastest and saltiest warming on our planet. The new WWF report ‘The Climate Change Effect in the Mediterranean: Stories from an overheating sea’ shows the 6 main impacts that climate change has on all marine biodiversity and the extent of the resulting changes in the main fish species and habitats with consequences on the subsistence of local communities. WWF highlights the dangerous relationship between climate impact and current human pressures on marine life, such as overfishing, pollution, coastal anthropogenic development and shipping that have already drastically reduced the ecological resilience of our sea, that is, its ability to regenerate. “From the scenarios of the experts on the future of the Mediterranean, such as the acceleration of the increase in temperatures and the entry of numerous alien species, the Mare Nostrum risks changing its face very quickly with inevitable consequences for the communities . Now more than ever it is necessary to focus on the protected sea surface, at least 30% by 2030, as also envisaged by the new EU biodiversity strategy. Protected marine areas, in fact, are an essential tool for the resilience of our seas and ecosystems that make them unique. The best cure is to invest in Nature and help it regenerate “says Donatella Bianchi, president of Wwf Itali a. “The Mediterranean of today is no longer what it once was. Its tropicalization is already advanced. Climate change is not a future issue, it is a reality that scientists, fishermen, divers, coastal communities and tourists are already experiencing today. The stakes are very high considering the benefits that the Mediterranean Sea could offer. If we want to reverse this trend, we need to reduce human pressure and build resilience. Healthy ecosystems and thriving biodiversity are our best natural defenses against climate impacts, “says Giulia Prato, Wwf Italy’s head of the Sea. Changes in habitats and fish populations are taking place throughout the region. Native molluscs have decreased by almost 90% in Israeli waters, invasive species such as rabbitfish make up 80% of fish catches in Turkey, and southern species such as barracudas and brown groupers have become common observations in the northern waters of Liguria. Coastal communities have begun to adapt to the new reality, learning to catch and cook new species such as rabbitfish, jellyfish and other alien specimens as new sea delicacies, installing nets around beaches to keep out jellyfish that could also be used in the cosmetics industry. they are also transforming the depths of the deep waters emics of Posidonia, gorgonians and Pinna nobilis have decreased throughout the region, eventually becoming completely extinct in some areas. The loss of these species would have a dramatic impact on the entire marine ecosystem as they provide vital habitats for many species, produce benefits in the fight against climate change as some of them function as natural carbon sinks and also for our economy as they often attract divers and tourists Well managed marine protected areas can do a lot to reduce the stress on remaining populations as much as possible. These cases, the WWF points out, clearly show the strong link between climate and ocean and the need for better marine protection to restore biodiversity and fish stocks and rebuild the resilience of our sea. also publishes ‘Blueprint for a Living Planet’, which outlines four principles for an integrated ocean-climate action to guide the discussions that will flow into Cop15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Cop26 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Cop22 of the Barcelona Convention which will take place during the second half of 2021. WWF calls on global and Mediterranean leaders to ensure that stronger financial actions and mechanisms for biodiversity and climate are agreed this year.