Wednesday October 1, 2025
ABC News —
Covering more than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, the ocean plays a vital role in regulating the planet’s weather and climate. Yet, today, no part of it remains untouched by what the United Nations is calling the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. And according to the latest Ocean State Report, released by the Copernicus Marine Service on Tuesday, every ocean basin is now affected by rapid warming, acidification, rising sea levels and plastic pollution.
“The science is unequivocal: the ocean is changing fast, with record extremes and mounting impacts. We know why, and we know what it means,” said Dr. Karina von Schuckmann, senior adviser at Mercator Ocean International and chair of the Copernicus Ocean State Report.
The ocean plays a crucial role in shaping Earth’s weather and climate patterns by absorbing, storing and releasing heat into the atmosphere. It absorbs about 90% of the excess heat generated by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. The Copernicus analysis found that ocean warming has accelerated since the 1960s, driving increasingly more frequent and intense marine heat waves. In 2023 and 2024, these heat waves broke records and caused widespread disruption to coastal economies worldwide.
Rapid ocean warming and acidification are also affecting marine life. Nearly 16% of endangered and 30% of critically endangered corals are at risk, including those found in U.S. waters such as the Carolinas, Florida, Texas, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, according to the report. Some of the world’s most productive marine habitats, home to major commercial fisheries, have already declined by more than 25% due to climate change.
These impacts are exacerbated by vast amounts of plastic waste from every continent, polluting all ocean basins. Notably, 75% of countries that generate more than 10,000 tons of plastic waste annually are located near vulnerable coral reef ecosystems.
“Protecting the ocean’s vital role in sustaining life and livelihoods starts with understanding how and why it is changing. The latest Copernicus Ocean State Report reveals record-breaking events, accelerating trends, and growing impacts on marine ecosystems and societies — providing the science needed to inform effective, forward-looking decisions,” von Schuckmann said.