The ocean has shielded us from the worst of climate change. Now it is running a fever | Karina Von Schuckmann | TheBriefWire
The ocean has shielded us from the worst of climate change. Now it is running a fever | Karina Von Schuckmann
Published 17 June 2026 ยท science
Nearly every indicator of climate change is flashing red. But we still hold the tools available to bring the planet back into balance The ocean
Nearly every indicator of climate change is flashing red. But we still hold the tools available to bring the planet back into balance The ocean is running a fever.
In 2025, the number of days of marine heatwaves โ prolonged spells when the sea turns abnormally, dangerously warm โ was more than triple what it was in the early 1990s.
These are not abstract statistics. A severe and persistent marine heatwave bleaches coral reefs, strips away the kelp forests that shelter young fish, empties fishing grounds and โ if occurring frequently โ can tip whole ecosystems past the point of recovery.
Karina Von Schuckmann is an IGCC author and senior adviser of Mercator Ocean International Continue reading...
Published: June 17, 2026 โข 3:30 PM IST ยท Updated: June 17, 2026 โข 4:06 PM ISTBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team
Key points
Nearly every indicator of climate change is flashing red.
But we still hold the tools available to bring the planet back into balance The ocean is running a fever.
In 2025, the number of days of marine heatwaves โ prolonged spells when the sea turns abnormally, dangerously warm โ was more than triple what it was in the early 1990s.
These are not abstract statistics.
A severe and persistent marine heatwave bleaches coral reefs, strips away the kelp forests that shelter young fish, empties fishing grounds and โ if occurring frequently โ can tip whole ecosystems past the point of recovery.