Marine climate change impacts
Annual Report Card 2007-2008
This report card builds upon the evidence base presented in 2006, highlighting key developments and exploring new subject areas (coastal erosion, coastal habitats and air-sea exchanges of heat and water). It brings together scientific understanding from a wider range of research institutes, providing an even more comprehensive assessment of UK marine climate change impacts and highlighting regional variations where possible.
"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures"
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007, Joint Nobel Peace Prize winners
Here are just some of the key findings reported in the 2007-2008 card
2006 was the second-warmest year in UK coastal waters since records began in 1870; seven of the 10 warmest years have occurred in the last decade.
Models predict fewer storms but there will be a greater number of more severe storms.
Coastal erosion is expected to increase. Currently, it affects 17% of the UK coastline.
Warmer winters have been strongly linked to reduced breeding success and survival in some seabird populations.