{"id":5437,"date":"2022-03-30T16:20:02","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T14:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/senza-categoria\/a-sea-to-save-how-climate-change-is-driving-marine-life-to-extinction\/"},"modified":"2022-03-30T16:20:02","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T14:20:02","slug":"a-sea-to-save-how-climate-change-is-driving-marine-life-to-extinction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/seafood\/a-sea-to-save-how-climate-change-is-driving-marine-life-to-extinction\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sea to save: how climate change is driving marine life to extinction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is estimated that by 2100, due to global warming, <\/span><b>much of Italy\u2019s coastline could be submerged by rising sea levels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Potentially by more than 1 meter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>One of the most alarming effects of global warming is the rising of sea levels<\/strong>, caused in part by the thermal expansion of seawater. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course <strong>this rise leads to increased coastal erosion<\/strong> and the likelihood of flooding becomes even more concrete. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According<\/span> to studies by ENEA (Italy&#8217;s National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development)<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <strong>the Mediterranean Sea could rise by up to one meter by 2100<\/strong>, with a peak of up to 1.4 meters in the Upper Adriatic.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To make it simple: <\/span><b>an area the size of Liguria could be entirely swallowed by the sea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, permanently erasing many of our beaches and ports.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Flooding risks affect every Italian coastal area<\/strong>, about 40 coastal regions from north to south could disappear by 2100. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Climate change is already impacting our seas <\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-2970 size-full\" title=\"Climate change is already affecting our seas and future predictions are not at all reassuring: find out why!\" src=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/il-cambiamento-climatico-sta-gia-colpendo-i-nostri-mari-.jpg\" alt=\"Marine Flora and Fauna\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/il-cambiamento-climatico-sta-gia-colpendo-i-nostri-mari-.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/il-cambiamento-climatico-sta-gia-colpendo-i-nostri-mari--480x336.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 500px, 100vw\" \/>This is a fact we can no longer ignore. <strong>Based on the data and studies collected so far, we know that:<\/strong>  <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>There\u2019s an increase in heatwaves and extreme temperatures;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Periods of drought are now more frequent<\/strong> and far more intense; <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Sea level has already risen and will continue to do so in the coming years<\/strong>, even in the unlikely event that we completely eliminate emissions; <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Sea acidification is worsening<\/strong>, <strong>causing serious consequences for marine life<\/strong> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Mediterranean region has a high population density along its coastlines. The problem of the rising seas could also lead to a humanitarian disaster, potentially displacing entire communities.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result, <strong>tourism is also expected to change dramatically, as these are the very areas that have drawn crowds for years<\/strong> thanks to their favorable climate and wide beaches. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the beaches continue to disappear beneath the waves, many people will no longer have a reason to vacation in these places and <strong>this could be a serious threat to the tourism industry.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Rainfall and drought <\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Mediterranean is one of the fastest-warming seas on the planet, and <strong>this rapid temperature increase is making the surrounding regions <\/strong><\/span><strong>increasingly arid.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ecosystem is already feeling the effects and the consequences will extend to human populations and economic activities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Agriculture<\/strong>, in particular, <strong>will suffer the greatest blow<\/strong>. <strong>Due to the lack of rainfall<\/strong>, which is already becoming a serious matter, <\/span><b>crops will fail, and the soil will become irreversibly dry and unproductive.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Melting glaciers <\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-2981 size-full\" title=\"Glacier melt could lead to a rise in sea level: discover the scenarios!\" src=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/fusione-dei-ghiacci-.jpg\" alt=\"Fish Fauna\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/fusione-dei-ghiacci-.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/fusione-dei-ghiacci--480x336.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 500px, 100vw\" \/>Sea and ocean levels will continue to rise &#8211; primarily &#8211; due to the melting of glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under these perspectives, Venice is likely to be the first city completely submerged and no Moses will be able to stop it. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>But this disaster won\u2019t only affect the Italian coastline.<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other major cities under threat include Amsterdam, Hamburg, Saint Petersburg, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Lower Manhattan, and many more.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, if all the ice on Earth were to melt, sea levels would rise by more than 60 meters. <strong>This is not a scenario we can rule out<\/strong>, especially given the widespread and accelerating effects of climate change around the world. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It\u2019s only a matter of time.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> That\u2019s why it is urgent to halt all greenhouse gas emissions and stop burning fossil fuels immediately. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Ocean acidification<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When CO\u2082 emissions dissolve into seawater they produce carbonic acid. This process is very similar to the one to make sparkling water. <strong> This alters the chemical composition of the ocean, with severe consequences for all marine flora and fauna. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The natural pH of the oceans is 8.2 on a scale from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (not acidic at all). <strong>Experts believe it would be difficult for the pH to fall below 7, but with the rapid pace of climate change, no scenario can be completely ruled out. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The acidification of our oceans isn\u2019t caused by CO\u2082 emissions alone. Human activity today produces much more carbon dioxide<\/strong> than ever before. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to global <strong>estimates<\/strong>, <\/span><b>the oceans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are the planet\u2019s largest carbon sink, <\/span><b>have already absorbed around 40% of all CO\u2082 emissions released by humans<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since the Industrial Revolution.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The consequences on fish and shellfish populations<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-2972 size-full\" title=\"What will be the consequences of climate change on marine life and mollusks? Find out more.\" src=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/le-conseguenze-sulla-fauna-ittica-e-sui-molluschi.jpg\" alt=\"Fish Fauna\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/le-conseguenze-sulla-fauna-ittica-e-sui-molluschi.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/le-conseguenze-sulla-fauna-ittica-e-sui-molluschi-480x336.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 500px, 100vw\" \/>Marine ecosystem will bear the consequences of the irreversible transformation of our seas. <strong>Coral reefs<\/strong>, for example, <strong>already critically endangered due to<\/strong> <\/span><strong>widespread bleaching, face certain extinction as ocean acidification progresses.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p><strong>All the delicate balances within marine ecosystems will be severely disrupted, including mollusk colonies found across the globe <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Additionally<\/strong>, there will be <strong>a reduction in <\/strong><\/span><b>carbonate ion levels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <strong>essential compounds<\/strong> <strong>needed for the proper formation of the calcareous skeletons and shells of many marine organisms, such as shellfish.<\/strong><\/span> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Calcium carbonate shells<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <strong>in <a href=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/mussels\/\">mussels<\/a>, corals, and <a href=\"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/oysters\/\">oysters <\/a>will struggle to form<\/strong>, as the drop in pH makes them weaker and more fragile. Even the  <\/span><b>photosynthesis processes of marine plants <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>will be seriously affected.<\/strong><\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problem isn\u2019t limited to<\/span> acidification<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but to <\/span>salinity too<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For example, <strong>rising temperatures in the Baltic Sea could lead to a decrease in salinity, affecting <\/strong> <\/span><strong>the habitat of several marine species, including mollusks. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Mediterranean Sea, due to high temperatures and prolonged drought, will likely see an increase in salinity driven by higher evaporation and reduced rainfall.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The outlook for marine ecosystems, therefore, is far from promising. Over time, <strong>these changes could lead to <\/strong>  <\/span><b>the extinction of numerous marine species. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The seafood market could even face a future without mollusks and crustaceans<\/strong> of many kinds.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clearly, as mentioned in earlier sections, <strong>this represents not only an <\/strong><\/span><b>environmental crisis but an economic one as well.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>What can we do to prevent environmental catastrophe <\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate change is increasing water vapor levels in the atmosphere, making freshwater availability ever more scarce.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many countries around the world are already facing extreme droughts alternating with unpredictable flooding. <\/span><b>At this pace, these phenomena are only expected to intensify. <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s why it <strong>is absolutely<\/strong> <\/span><b>essential to take action and make changes, before it\u2019s too late. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or at the very least, to save what can still be saved.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this regard, <strong>European policies are working to mitigate climate change and reduce <\/strong><\/span><b>greenhouse gas emissions.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Each of us, in our own small way<\/strong>, can contribute to the effort to prevent severe outcomes like<\/span> widespread drought<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to experts, <strong>the most effective solution remains acknowledging the long-term consequences<\/strong> of our past mistakes <strong>and <\/strong><\/span><b>preparing in advance for the new realities we\u2019re facing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many innovative strategies have already been tested across Europe to help communities adapt to the new environments they may soon inhabit. Still, <strong>taking personal responsibility for the choices we make today, for the future of our planet and ourselves<\/strong>  <\/span><strong>, is a moral duty we all share. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is estimated that by 2100, due to global warming, much of Italy\u2019s coastline could be submerged by rising sea levels. Potentially by more than 1 meter. One of the most alarming effects of global warming is the rising of sea levels, caused in part by the thermal expansion of seawater. Of course this rise [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":4729,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seafood"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.itticabuonocore.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}