Sansad TV: Nature And You- Ocean Warming is Alarming | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

In recent decades, the tropical Indian Ocean has been getting warmer quickly. The temperature of the ocean's surface has gone up by around 1 degree Celsius between 1951 and 2015, increasing at a rate of 0.15°C every ten years. The IITM, which is a part of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, did a recent study on marine heat waves. They found that from 1982 to 2018, the western Indian Ocean had 66 Marine Heat Wave events, while the Bay of Bengal had 94. In the western Indian Ocean, the occurrences of marine heat waves increased four times, which means they happened 1.5 times more often each decade.
In the North Bay of Bengal, the number went up two to three times, which is about 0.5 times more often each decade. In 2021, there were 6 marine heat waves in the western Indian Ocean over 52 days, and in the North Bay of Bengal, there were 4 over 32 days. Even though these heat waves weren't the worst ever, they were still higher than usual. In 2021, the western Indian Ocean had the fourth-highest number of heat wave events. The IMD uses ocean temperatures to predict the monsoon, and this information is helpful for planning and dealing with disasters.

Ocean Warming

Ramifications

• Higher Sea Levels:
  When water gets warmer, it takes up more space, causing sea levels to rise. According to the study, this alone could make sea levels go up by 30cm (about a foot) by the end of the century. Many big cities, like Mumbai and Sydney, are only slightly above this level and could face flooding. On top of that, melting polar ice sheets are making sea levels rise even more. Together, melting ice and expanding water could lead to a one-meter rise in sea levels by 2100, potentially displacing millions of people.
• More Intense Extreme Weather:
  Warmer oceans make tropical storms stronger and last longer. Cyclones become worse due to unusually warm ocean temperatures. This will bring even more flooding to coastal areas that are already struggling with rising sea levels. Warmer temperatures also lead to changes in rainfall patterns, making some places wetter and others drier.
• Threat to Ocean Life:
  Warmer water leads to less oxygen in the oceans. Some areas are seeing fish die-offs because of low oxygen levels. Coral reefs are also in danger – in just two years, half the corals in the Great Barrier Reef were killed by two ocean heat waves. Warmer oceans will likely cause more of these die-offs.
• Food Security:
  As oceans warm, fish species move to cooler waters, potentially causing food shortages. Millions of people rely on seafood as a protein source. Tropical regions are particularly at risk.
• Melting Sea Ice:
  Warmer seas are melting sea ice, which doesn't directly raise sea levels but does make the planet warmer. This is bad news for animals like polar bears and for communities that depend on sea ice.
• New Challenges:
  Diseases and superbugs could become more prevalent due to warmer oceans.

Steps Forward:

• Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: It's urgent to meet the climate targets set in the Paris Agreement and limit the global temperature increase.
• Protecting and Restoring Ecosystems: Protected areas can help preserve marine habitats, and damaged areas can be restored.
• Improving Human Adaptation: Policies like sustainable fishing limits and coastal setback zones can help.
• Advancing Scientific Research: More investment in research is needed to understand and address ocean warming.

Conclusion:

The oceans are vital for Earth's habitability, but they're under threat. Over three billion people depend on them for their livelihoods. It's crucial for all nations to work together to conserve and sustainably use marine resources, following Sustainable Development Goal 14. Taking action globally will help us be more resilient against extreme weather and other challenges caused by warmer oceans.