“Climate Crisis Alert: Urgent Call for Action as Southern Ocean Ecosystems Face Grave Peril!”
Pressing Need for Enhanced Monitoring of Southern Ocean
A collective call has emerged from hundreds of scientists urging for an urgent expansion of Southern Ocean monitoring to gain a deeper comprehension of the “astonishing” losses in Antarctic sea ice.
Around 300 scientists from 25 nations presented a joint statement on Friday following the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) conference held in Hobart.
They point to a persistent scarcity of data concerning the Southern Ocean that encompasses Antarctica.
Recent transformations in the region, such as record high temperatures, dwindling sea ice levels, and substantial shifts in penguin populations, are described as “striking.”
Dr. Andrew Meijers, a member of the SOOS scientific steering committee, highlighted that the Southern Ocean absorbs approximately 40 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide that ultimately reaches the oceans.
“Global warming is essentially synonymous with ocean warming,” he stressed.
The Southern Ocean plays a vital role in impacting the speed at which the Antarctic ice sheet undergoes melting, a pivotal factor in predicting the future rise of sea levels.
Dr. Meijers indicated that the expense of monitoring the upper two kilometers of Earth’s oceans added up to AUD $40 million.
He proposed that a similar commitment to Southern Ocean monitoring could revolutionize the understanding of this critical region.
“The swift changes unfolding in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean underscore the need for supplementary research funding,” he stressed.
SOOS co-chair Dr. Sian Henley noted that despite the extensive efforts of long-term programs by various countries, the Southern Ocean remains one of the planet’s most under-observed areas.
“The substantial decreases in sea ice noted during the winter pose a serious threat to the ecosystems within the Southern Ocean,” she affirmed.
“Numerous species depend on sea ice for habitat, feeding grounds, and breeding sites. The stability of these ecosystems is at significant risk.”
In the beginning of 2022, the federal government unveiled a revised Antarctic strategy along with a 20-year action plan.
Understanding the pivotal role of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in climate and weather to enhance comprehension and inform management responses has been identified as a “priority theme.”
Efforts have been made to reach out to the federal government and the Australian Antarctic Division for their comments.