A third of all marine life is likely to disappear within 280 years if action isn’t taken to stop climate change
According to a new study, marine life faces the most significant die-off event since dinosaurs roamed the planet.
Researchers have found it could mirror the great extinctions of Earth’s past if humanity fails to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
An event known as ‘The Great Dying’ occurred 250 million years ago, and was caused by warming and oxygen depletion.
These conditions caused the deaths of more than two-thirds of marine animals, and researchers say conditions are similar today.
They predict tropical oceans will lose the most species, with many forced to migrate to higher areas to survive.
On the other hand, polar species would disappear altogether.
But there is some light, researchers believe when global warming is limited to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, it could curb such a catastrophe by up to 70 per cent.
“Because marine extinctions have not progressed as far as those on land, society has time to turn the tide in favor of ocean life”.
Scientists malin pinsky & Alexa fredston
The goal of the current Paris Climate Agreement is to reduce global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but this will not be achieved without a rapid reduction in carbon emissions.
Without intervention, current projections have global warming to reach 1.5 degrees by the early 2030s.
