Our planet, seen from space, is a blue sphere surrounded by a thin coating of liquids and gases, which creates a fragile membrane of life. Despite its name, 71 per cent of the Earth is covered by water; the oceans perform indispensable functions for global equilibrium and for our survival. They store more than 90 per cent of the heat produced by human activity, regulating the climate; they are home to an incredible biodiversity; they provide sustenance to millions of people; and they carry 90 per cent of world trade. Despite their importance, human impact is destroying these ecosystems, threatened by rising temperatures, pollution and reckless exploitation. Today, thanks to the efforts of eighty scientists, we can know more precisely the state of health of "our" oceans.

The state of the oceans

The first annual edition of the Ocean State Report (Osr) has indeed been published, produced through the work of eighty scientists belonging to more than twenty-five European institutions coordinated by Mercator Ocean (the French centre for global ocean analysis and forecasting) which, in collaboration with the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (Cmems), has analysed and compared data drawn from years of research, from 1993 to 2015. The report shows ocean anomalies, trends in sea-ice extent, sea-level rise and ocean surface warming.

Know and protect

Scientific knowledge of the oceans is necessary in order to improve their protection, according to the United Nations. Ocean conservation and the sustainable use of marine resources are an integral part of the Sustainable Development Goals (Sdg), the UN action programme based on economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Warmer and more acidic oceans

The study has yielded data that is anything but reassuring: the rise and warming of the oceans and regional seas, including European ones, and the melting of Arctic ice have all been recorded. Particularly worrying is also the phenomenon of ocean acidification, caused by the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which alters the chemical composition of the water and could soon render it uninhabitable for the majority of marine species.

Anomalous temperatures

Researchers have also noted the intensification of atmospheric phenomena, such as the exceptionally severe El Niño of 2015. Global warming does not mean only higher temperatures: while in the Arctic Ocean the sea-ice surface area has drastically decreased due to unusual heat, below-average temperatures have been recorded in the North Atlantic.

A reference document for future ocean policy

The report will henceforth represent an important tool for the proper management of the oceans, providing reliable and regular information, on an annual basis, to the general public, to the political world and to decision-makers, as well as to the scientific community. "The oceans are attracting an ever-growing share of public debate," reads the Mercator Ocean press release. "As legislators and decision-makers become aware of what is at stake, it is essential for them to have access to easy-to-use data, information unhindered by political agendas, in order to make the best decisions at a political and legislative level."