In various reports, the IPCC identified numerous and important risks for biodiversity as a result of rising ocean temperature, ocean acidification, loss of Arctic sea ice associated with climate change. Loss of ecosystems, ecosystem services and endemic species, mixing of ecosystem types and increased dominance of invasive organisms are part of these risks.
Nowadays we are well aware that life in our oceans will be severely affected, with impacts on plankton all the way up the food chain, from ecosystem-disturbing extreme weather and ocean acidification, to species migration.
At the same time, up until now, the worlds of multilateral climate change negotiations and marine biodiversity negotiations have, to a large extent, each taken their own course. Interactions between climate and biodiversity fora have been limited.
This panel will attempt to answer the following questions:
- What is science telling us on the impacts of climate change on marine life and livelihoods of coastal communities?
- What actions and policies are being adopted at a national, regional and global level?
- How can climate change negotiations take into account ocean biodiversity and vice versa, how can ocean fora incorporate climate change considerations ?