Food waste is widely recognized as a pressing environmental issue, yet it rarely receives the focus it needs. More than one-third of all food produced in the US goes uneaten, leading to wasted resources and significant environmental consequences. How serious is the food waste crisis, and how might one bubbling solution provide a potential remedy to this global emergency?

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The food waste crisis is impacting not just the environmental sector but also the health and well-being of people. Millions on our planet live in poor conditions, unable to access healthy, nutritious food that first-world countries throw away so quickly. 

The global food waste disaster will not only destabilize economies, putting millions of agricultural jobs at risk, but it will also lead to the decline of entire species and habitats as resources are depleted and ecosystems are disrupted.

As the effects of climate change become increasingly evident globally, scientists and farmers are racing against the clock to find solutions that will reduce trash and preserve our planet while sustainably consuming food, including one innovative method of preserving food waste in mason jars, and transforming it into delicious ferments. 

A Global Crisis

Food waste is the most prevalent material sent to landfills and incinerators in the US, accounting for 24% of landfilled municipal solid waste and 22% of that which is burned. 

These staggering numbers highlight a significant inefficiency in our food systems, where a large portion of the food produced never reaches our plates. Not only does this represent a waste of resources like water, energy, and labor but it also underscores the urgent need for better food management practices.

The energy and resources used to produce, transport, and store food are effectively wasted when food is discarded, contributing to a cycle of environmental degradation and resource depletion.

Countries across the globe are grappling with the food waste crisis, though some are more severely impacted than others. Developing nations, particularly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, face significant challenges. Here, up to 40% of food produced can be lost before it even reaches consumers, primarily due to poor facilities, lack of refrigeration, and inefficient supply chains. This not only exacerbates food insecurity but also limits economic opportunities for farmers, who lose potential income from unsold produce.

In contrast, developed countries such as the US and Western European nations experience food waste primarily at the consumer level. This waste occurs in households, restaurants, and supermarkets, driven by factors like over-purchasing items, aesthetic standards for produce as seen on social media trends, and misinterpretation of expiration dates. 

The impacts here are multifaceted: from contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions as food decomposes in landfills to reflecting a concerning disconnect between consumption patterns and sustainable practices.

But the consequences of food waste extend beyond environmental issues. Economically, the global cost of food waste is estimated at nearly $1 trillion annually, affecting both producers and consumers.

Socially, the crisis perpetuates hunger and malnutrition, especially in regions where food is scarce. One in seven Americans is food insecure, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service’s latest report this September.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals aim to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer level and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. 

While this demonstrates that food waste is a solvable issue, it must be looked at from different perspectives. By addressing the food waste crisis through better management practices, consumer education, and policy changes, countries can mitigate its impacts, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote a more sustainable food system.

You might also like: 11 Effective Solutions for Food Waste

Food Waste and Climate Change

Food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which equates to about 4.4 gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. If food waste was a country, its emissions would rank third in the world, behind only China and the US. 

When food waste sits rotting in a landfill, it creates methane, one of the most harmful greenhouse gasses found on Earth. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is significantly more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere, making it a potent contributor to climate change. 

This intensified warming results in rising global temperatures, altered weather patterns, and increased extreme weather events. Climate change leads to melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and disruptions to ecosystems, posing serious risks to both natural and human systems. 

It is estimated that about 6-8% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if we stopped wasting food.

The food waste crisis is closely linked to climate change beyond just greenhouse gas emissions. Food production demands significant amounts of water, land, and energy, and when food is wasted, all these resources are squandered. 

This waste exacerbates the strain on ecosystems, particularly in arid regions where water scarcity is a pressing concern.

Food production drives agricultural expansion, often leading to deforestation and loss of biodiversity. As forests are cleared to make way for farmland, vital ecosystems that play a crucial role in carbon sequestration are disrupted. 

The cycle of waste encourages further land exploitation, putting additional pressure on wildlife and plant species at risk of extinction.

Soil degradation is another serious consequence of the food waste crisis. Intensive farming practices aimed at increasing production can lead to soil erosion and nutrient depletion. Uneaten food contributes to over 16% of US cropland use. 

When food goes uneaten, it diminishes the incentive for sustainable agricultural practices, compounding issues related to soil health that are essential for both carbon storage and future agricultural productivity.

Additionally, the accumulation of food waste places significant burdens on waste management systems. 

Many countries lack the infrastructure to effectively process organic waste, resulting in increased landfill use and associated environmental impacts, such as methane emissions from decomposing food. 

Recognizing these interconnected issues helps better understand the need for comprehensive solutions to tackle both food waste and climate change, promoting a more sustainable and resilient food system for all.

What Is Fermentation?

Fermentation is a transformative process that enhances flavors that is increasingly emerging as a potential solution to the food waste crisis. In simple terms, fermentation refers to the process of creating food or changing the properties of food using microbes (microorganisms) or starters, like yeast.

Fermented foods are celebrated across cultures for their unique flavors, health benefits, and preservation qualities. Popular examples include yogurt and kefir from the Middle East and Central Asia, where dairy is transformed by beneficial bacteria into creamy, tangy delights. 

In East Asia, kimchi – a spicy mix of fermented vegetables, often napa cabbage – has become a staple of Korean cuisine, renowned for its bold flavor and probiotic properties, while sauerkraut and pickles are beloved in Germany and Eastern Europe.

These diverse fermented foods not only reflect the culinary heritage of their regions but also demonstrate how fermentation can enhance food preservation and reduce waste.

Fermentation fosters an environment that inhibits the growth of spoilage bacteria and pathogens, thereby extending the shelf life of foods. This process transforms perishable ingredients into stable products that can be stored for longer periods.

Extending fresh batches of harvest plays a crucial role in the farm to table cycle.

Additionally, fermentation enhances the nutritional profile of foods, making them more healthful. By converting surplus or imperfect ingredients into fermented products, we effectively reduce waste and make the most of available resources.

Another popular ferment mold that is cultivated in Japan is called koji – a powerful, enzyme-rich edible mold full of transformative powers. Koji enhances food by producing enzymes that break down nutrients such as starches and proteins to create tasty sugars, commonly found in soy sauce, miso, sake, and more.

But how exactly will fermentation solve the food waste crisis?

Ferments, like koji, encourage anyone to experiment and cook with foods that would previously be thrown out with the blink of an eye. Fermentation is a large method to control spoilage, and for fermentation experts like Takashi Sato, president and eight-generation owner of global soy sauce and miso manufacturer San-J International, it will be able to directly apply to the food waste crisis.

“Fermentation is just a technique, and it could be applied to many things,” Sato told Forbes in a recent article highlighting his long-term work and passion for this field. “We learn that fermentation has a bigger potential to contribute to the food waste problem.”

With Halloween just around the corner, those that celebrate this spooky time of the year by carving or decorating should consider not throwing away their pumpkins. 

Sato encourages households and families with pumpkins lining their front porches or windows to not discard their pumpkins once they rot, but instead turn it into pumpkin amazake – a simple recipe that combines koji fermentation methods with a seasonal autumn twist – pumpkin.

This is just one small solution to a large-scale issue – ending with something delicious, while reducing food waste in the process.

Preserving the Past, Fermenting the Future

The koji community stretches across the entire world, and while originating in Japan thousands of years ago, it holds the power and beauty to continue for generations beyond. 

Expanding the lens on solutions to this food waste emergency is essential to combatting any confusion or denial on how we are able to reverse the impacts and reduce food trash – and learn about new foods that can be turned into something magical.

Most popular on social media for expanding the koji community and educating their followers on what they can make with koji and other fermentation methods, two North-American originating platforms are considered the “kings of koji.”

Nick Adams, co-founder and president of Koji House, encourages that to koji, anything is food, meaning anything can be transformed – especially food waste.

“Whether it’s spent coffee grounds or less than fresh produce, fermenting with koji will not only yield a lower waste product, but often a completely unique cornucopia of flavors and aromas,” told Earth.Org.

Koji House’s flagship program, Koji Connect, is empowering both home and professional cooks alike to use koji in their everyday cooking, recognize its power and potential, and create unique culinary experiences together as a community.

Forwarding the culture and importance of koji, and other mold-based ferments, is key to changing and expanding North America’s culinary landscape. 

Jennifer Rothman, director of the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center, and Rich Shih, author of Koji Academy, realized this importance, and in 2021, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, decided to co-create an international conference for anyone to learn more about fermentation in the comfort of their homes.

Kojicon is a virtual two-week conference where participants gather from around the world with experts in the koji field to share their passion and skills, utilizing the magic of this edible mold. The Kojicon team encourages all experience levels in this diverse and inclusive international community of koji enthusiasts.”Fermentation, which is the basis of soy sauce production, is a technology that controls spoilage. Therefore, this technology can be used to reuse things that would otherwise be thrown away,” Sato states in an interview in September with Salon.

Understanding how important bringing professionals and newcomers to this special passion is essential for growing fermentation in the food sector, and throughout all other ways of life.

The next Kojicon conference will take place in February 2025 under the slogan “preserving the past, fermenting the future.”Fermentation not only addresses the food crisis by transforming surplus ingredients into preserved, nutritious foods but also connects us to the cultural and historical traditions of various regions, celebrating local flavors while promoting sustainability.

Featured image: Marco Verch.

The post Fermented Future: Tackling Food Waste and Climate Change One Jar at a Time appeared first on Earth.Org.

November 3rd is globally recognized as World Jellyfish Day, a day to highlight and celebrate the brainless beauties that have been floating around our oceans for millions of years. First acknowledged in 2014, this day also focuses on education and conservation efforts for jellyfish. Learn more about this invertebrate, what makes it so unique in marine ecosystems, and how you can help to protect both sea jellies, and our oceans, against the many challenges they face.

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Belonging to the scientific class Scyphozoa under the phylum Cnidaria, which also includes coral and sea anemones, jellyfish are composed of more than 200 species and can be found in all five oceans on Earth.

Jellyfish have been around for between 500 to 700 million years, making them the oldest multi-organ animal. Their role in marine ecosystems is extremely important, as they are vastly considered keystone species in most oceanic food webs.

Quite ironically, jellyfish are not actually fish – fish anatomy origins around their spines, while jellyfish do not have a spine, gills, a brain, bones, or even blood.

A Closer Look at Their Unique Design

Their anatomy is focused on radial symmetry, with body parts radiation from a central axis. This allows these invertebrates to detect food and danger from any direction.

Having no brain, they sense the world around them by detecting light and gravity using their sensory structures called rhopalia, resembling a “nerve net” located at the end of their heads. Their tentacles, varying in size depending on the species, are able to sting their prey or enemies. 

The sting comes from their nematocysts: by brushing up against their food or an object, these cells burst out a tiny barb, injecting the prey with venom. 

The tingly feeling after being stung by a jellyfish is the result of these tiny barbs in human skin, though the severity of the sting itself can vary greatly.

Most of the toxins they release are non-dangerous to humans, with pain typically resembling a wasp sting, with a few exceptions like the box jelly or Man of War. These jellies can kill you if barbed enough.

The largest recorded species of jelly is the lion’s mane jellyfish, with tentacles that can flow more than 100 feet (30.48 meters) long and a head more than eight feet in diameter. Surprisingly, this species is not poisonous to humans, but their sting can still be extremely painful.

Jellyfish also use colloblasts – sticky cells located on their tentacles – to capture prey, which they then transport to their mouths for digestion.

With around 95% of their body made of water, they are overall pretty simple creatures. They have a simple digestive system that includes a stomach and intestine, with a single opening serving as both the mouth and the anus.

Their main diet consists of plankton, small marine organisms. Jellyfish also dine on miniature shrimp, crabs, small fish, or even other jellies.

Jellyfish have a variety of natural predators, including many species of fish such as mackerel, salmon, dogfish and sunfish, turtles, crabs and other crustaceans and even seabirds such as seagulls.

The Role of Jellyfish in Marine Ecosystems

Many fish species interact with jellyfish in a mutualistic relationship, swimming among their tentacles for protection against larger predators and occasionally snacking on parasites or debris that cling to the jellyfish. These symbiotic associations help maintain balance in marine ecosystems, where shelter and protection are crucial, especially across varying water depths.

Jellyfish contribute to maintaining the marine food chain. Because they feed on smaller creatures, sea jellies are able to control populations and balance the ecosystem, even feeding on other species of jellyfish that may be smaller than them.

Jellyfish also play a crucial role in nutrient cycling in the ocean. As they drift through various water layers, they transport nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients are then recycled and utilized by other marine organisms for growth and survival. Jellyfish are responsible for over 10% of nitrogen needed for growth of phytoplankton.

Beyond their role in ocean ecosystems, jellyfish have shown remarkable potential in cancer cell inhibition, early life development in microgravity, and other significant medical breakthroughs related to human space travel.

Jellyfish can metamorphose from a polyp to a swimming medusa, making them invaluable for research. This unique ability has allowed them to survive multiple mass extinctions and adapt to various ecological niches.

As a result, jellyfish are key organisms for studying ecological and evolutionary processes, as well as physiology, neuroscience, and medicinal sciences.

Riding the Waves of a Changing Ocean

Unlike other species that suffer due to climate change impacts and ocean acidification, warmer waters actually favor jellyfish growth, albeit only if they have sufficient food supply. 

Another interesting trait of jellyfish is that some species do not need high oxygen levels to survive in ocean waters. While most will suffer if global warming causes a decrease in oxygen levels, some types are tolerant of very low-oxygen conditions – proving they can be the only surviving ocean animal once oxygen is used up.

“Ocean jellification” would transform a marine ecosystem dominated by fish into one dominated by jellyfish.Multiple studies have stated that jellyfish, more specifically cnidarians and ctenophores, can survive both rising water temperatures and possible overfishing impacts. However, one study by the Monterey Bay Aquarium concluded that jellyfish are threatened by microplastics and can actually serve as the “entry point” for marine microplastics into oceanic food chains.

Marine biologists around the world are comprehensively tagging jellyfish to monitor them and their patterns. This is not just to study behavioral data but also to better understand how different regions impacted by global warming may influence swarms of sea jellies.

Another major increase of population growth in jellyfish is coastal construction of harbors and ports, which provide more surface for their polyps to attach to. More surface results in more rapid reproduction. When the polyps grow bigger, they release tiny, juvenile jellies that drift with the currents.

While more research and data are needed to establish specific connections between jellyfish and climate change, current knowledge suggests that they will thrive for millions of years to come. Their ability to transform and adapt makes jellyfish nature’s resilient underwater ghosts.

The post World Jellyfish Day 2024: Celebrating the Graceful Drifters of the Ocean appeared first on Earth.Org.

Hurricane Helene, the deadliest hurricane to hit mainland United States since Katrina in 2005, has taken more than 200 lives with hundreds more unaccounted for, and at least $30 billion in property damage expected. It may take years for the impacted areas to fully recover from the devastation caused last week. Climate change is worsening rapidly. Long-term financial and ecological consequences are already being charted. But what about the wildlife and environmental impacts that are not reported on? 

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On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with winds over 140 mph (225 km/h), whipping right into the Western corner of Florida. The hurricane continued its path of mass destruction through Georgia, then to the Carolinas and Tennessee. Impacts of this roaring disaster could be felt all the way in the Appalachian Mountains. North Carolina was hit the hardest, with massive landslides and flood surges that effectively cut off the entire western state. 

This devastating event underscores the urgent need to understand the connection between global warming and the increasing unpredictability of hurricanes. 

As ocean temperatures rise, the intensity and erratic behavior of storms like Helene become more pronounced, threatening both human populations and wildlife habitats. The long-term impacts on coastal ecosystems and infrastructure will require comprehensive strategies for adaptation and resilience. The road to recovery will be hefty.

Global Warming Plays a Major Factor

While this storm was somewhat expected, the impacts and distance of devastation was nearly impossible to predict. Climate change has quickly turned the hand of understanding how natural disasters will be calculated, especially in areas with constantly changing weather like the Gulf Coast, where Helene grew intense strength and power from the increasingly hot ocean temperatures. 

Helene marked the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which commenced on June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-average season this year, driven by record-high ocean temperatures.

In North Carolina, flooding reached levels that were not seen in over a century. In Atlanta, neighborhoods were completely submerged and only the roofs of cars were visible. Residents that did not evacuate had to resort to sleeping on their roofs, floating down highways in rafts or floats that were once used as pools. Over the course of 48 hours, the city experienced more than 11 inches of rain, the highest two-day total since records began in 1878.

Development on floodplains in destroyed regions from the hurricane played another heavy role into exasperating the impacts. “The tragic flood event in the southeast U.S. is a poignant example of the confluence of multiple factors, including development in floodplains, inadequate infrastructure maintenance and management, and the specter of climate change, whose compounding effect can amplify the disaster,” said Manoochehr Shirzaei, an associate professor of geophysics at Virginia Tech.

Observational data and climate models both show that the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events have been increasing and are projected to rise further. This trend emphasizes the urgent need for adaptive strategies to address the impacts of these intensified weather extremes, reflecting the larger global challenge of climate change.

The massive political disbelief and denial of climate change recorded in many areas affected by Helene are an almost exact match to maps of residents that did not evacuate before the hurricane made landfall, even after multiple posted warnings, house visits, and sirens. Climate denialism is real, and is directly affecting thousands of families and individuals in the South. 

With another Category 5 hurricane – Hurricane Milton – expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday, many experts are concerned about how many will be impacted again due to their own political standing on how dangerous these hurricanes can be in the 21st century  – stubborn in their own thoughts to not see what is, quite literally, coming at them.

Overall Impacts from Helene 

Death tolls are still rising, with families and communities reeling, not ready to start the path towards rebuilding their lives. Not only this, but hundreds of thousands if not millions of animals, livestock, and endangered species from both land and water environments have been affected by Helene.

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, has been severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. Their archives, including previous climate and weather data, geophysical information, and climate reports are all “currently inaccessible,” showing that Helene not only impacted physical borders, but technological data and crucial information that can help us analyze current impacts and predict future implications.

Within the communities impacted, cell towers and all communication going outwards is not sendable or receivable, creating a massive cut-off from the rest of the world. Not being able to call for help or let family members from other parts of the country know they are safe is a massive threat to their safety, and is contributing to the death toll and missing persons list. For many individuals living in lower income communities, older citizens, or residents with medical conditions, this cut off is critical to their own health and well-being. 

Storm surges wiped out entire neighborhoods, with nothing but belongings and plywood floating in the swollen coastlines. Experts are worried about the debris flow that is to come this week. “To me, the biggest concerns around here are debris flows, which are very wet, very fast moving and can travel long distances,” Brad Johnson, who studies landslides and erosion at Davidson College, emphasized. 

Johnson added that the debris flows can travel over a mile, carrying rocks, trees and other hazards, contributing to further damage and more evacuations.

Hurricane’s Toll on Manatee Populations

Displacement and extinction are two major factors that scientists and animal experts should be focusing on in the road to recovery from Hurricane Helene. Manatees in particular, protected by Florida under state law, have been widely left stranded or separated from their respective bodies of water by the hurricane. Manatees are well-equipped to handle the state’s extreme weather events. However, they still face considerable risks during severe storms such as storm surges that can push them far inland into unfamiliar areas, where they may become trapped as the water recedes.

In previous years, manatees have been found stranded in dry bays or even golf course ponds post hurricanes. According to the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, hurricanes can also devastate seagrass beds, which are their primary food source. 

While Hurricane Helene did not cause significant damage to these vital habitats, debris flow and increased storm surge could still impact them.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) urged the public not to attempt to rescue stranded manatees and instead contact them to report the animal’s locations to officials.

Wildlife and Ecosystems in Crisis

Most of the species impacted by the hurricane are livestock, unable to escape or save themselves from being locked in factory farms. Factory farming facilities, with often windowless sheds, are especially at risk during natural disasters. When flooding occurs or strong winds strike these large, inadequately built structures, the animals inside face slim chances of survival.

Evacuating farmed animals, particularly on the scale required for industrial operations, is rarely included in emergency plans. Thus, these helpless animals are left to endure suffering in conditions that could have been avoided.

Reports and videos have already surfaced of manatees stranded on roads, mass die-offs of fish due to lack of oxygen in the water from surface water push, and turtles and birds dying trying to protect their ground nests. According to Maia McGuire, a marine biologist at the University of Florida, hurricanes can lead to elevated tides that flood nests, contribute to beach erosion, and leave these turtle nests exposed to drying out or becoming more susceptible to predators.

Other creatures, not commonly known to migrate far away like bears, snakes, or even burrowing owls, are all exposed to possible displacement by the hurricane’s path. Many tamed pets, including dogs, were left behind in cages or backyards while their families evacuated without them. The current death toll of all wildlife is unknown but could likely be in the millions.

The environmental impacts of Helene are far from over, with millions of acres of farmland and crops, forests, estuaries and coastlines completely mowed over.

The harsh reality of conservation and rescue crews targeting ecosystems and habitats last in their list of priorities makes the bounce-back from storms and natural disasters even harder for so many areas in the country. 

While some ecosystems, like coral reefs or marshes, are prone to heavy storms and actually feed off of the storm surges and waves to act as a natural barrier, others completely die off and cannot grow back, leaving their inhabitants helpless and lost within a broken environment.

Experts urge the public not to handle any wild animals or livestock, and instead contact their local or state Wildlife Support Hotline or local officials. Interfering without previous experience or knowledge of certain animals, especially if they are endangered, can result in additional stress to that creature.

Looking Ahead 

With recovery efforts across the country still taking place and only intensifying, the trudge forward will be tiring and brutal. Evacuation crews, first responders, and millions of volunteers will travel down to support the towns and communities impacted, working night and day to help.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, these dedicated teams are not only focused on immediate needs like food, shelter, and medical assistance but are also laying the groundwork for long-term recovery. 

Organizations such as the Red Cross and local disaster response teams have been coordinating extensive relief efforts, setting up temporary shelters and distributing essential supplies. 

Additionally, community members are coming together to support one another, sharing resources and expertise to rebuild homes and restore vital infrastructure. As the affected areas begin to recover, the resilience and solidarity of both local and national efforts will play a crucial role in revitalizing these communities.

The main question is: Do people see this as a turning point to acknowledge climate change, and are they willing to do something about it? 

The need to recognize this global emergency of climate change and global warming impacts is high but millions will turn their heads for various reasons, mostly due to self-interest and ignorance. The time has come to start having those conversations on these topics. It can start with one person and flourish from there, so do not stop fighting back for the health of humans, our wildlife, and our planet. 

For opportunities to volunteer time, give back to relief support, hotlines, and more information on Hurricane Helene, please visit FEMA’s website. 

Featured image: AP via Free Malaysia Today (CC BY 4.0).

The post After the Storm: Assessing the Environmental Damage Caused by Hurricane Helene appeared first on Earth.Org.

Over the past few decades, there have been drastic changes in our global temperatures and climate patterns which have had significant repercussions on marine species and weather cycles worldwide. Collaboration, research, and leadership are key to finding solutions for the climate crisis and to protect the health and diversity of our world’s oceans.

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The planet’s oceans hold incredible importance and provide sustenance not only for the human population but also for billions of other species, ecosystems, and global systems. Our oceans are home to the most diverse creatures on Earth, they direct our planet’s tides and currents, provide modes of transportation, guide much of human historical and cultural heritage, and play as the world’s largest carbon sink – absorbing more than 90% of excess heat and around 25% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Our health and well-being relies in good part on oceans. However, increasing pressure and heat content fuelled by climate change are putting the Earth’s water bodies at high risk of species loss, acidification, sea level rise, and much more.

For all the above reasons, it is crucial to understand the meaning behind World Oceans Day and why the event was created in the first place as well as what we can do to reverse global warming, both individually and collectively.

The Mission and History of World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day is held annually on June 8 and is celebrated worldwide. Oceans Day was first declared in 1992 at Rio de Janeiro’s Global Forum, and was inspired by an event held by the Canadian Government called “Oceans Day At Global Forum – The Blue Planet,” which highlighted leaders and speakers that advocated for sustainability of our oceans and their global contributions. In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly eventually designated June 8 as World Oceans Day, a day to reflect and engage with various topics linked to this day, from marine laws and sustainable development to climate change and ocean conservation. The following year, the first UN World Oceans Day was held under the slogan “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility.” It saw an outstanding number of participants, donors, and world leaders investing their time and efforts into a newly born global movement.

In June 2017, the UN hosted the Ocean Conference, a multi-day global conference advocating and celebrating research, solutions, and the beauty of our oceans during this . This program was also considered for support in implementing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, Life Below Water, which aims to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.”

When the Covid-19 pandemic shut down most of the world in 2020, the global event was held virtually for the first time, allowing access to the general public. This paved the way for all members of society to become involved in the advocacy work of the UN. Two years later, the first hybrid event took place, partially New York City and partially virtual.

Diving Deeper Into Current Trends

Current research and data by scientific organizations and climatologists are extremely alarming. The ocean stores more than three-quarters of our excess heat energy trapped in our climate system, and these levels heavily contribute to increasing heat content, meaning further contributing to sea level rise, coral bleaching events, and the melting of our planet’s glaciers and ice sheets. This heat absorbed by the ocean is able to migrate from one location to another, but cannot disappear from the cycle. 

More on the topic: Scientists Confirm Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event Across 53 Countries

Stored heat causes water to expand. And it is exactly this expansion that is responsible for about half of global sea level rise. 2023 was the ocean’s warmest year ever recorded, and halfway through 2024, the trend has yet to slow down.

One study by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography found that the world’s oceans absorb heat at a rate 60% higher than the previous UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) study predicted. This alarming finding shows that our current trajectory would require humans to reduce our CO2 emissions by an extra 25% on top of regular suggestions, which is near impossible at the present time.

Another important influence to current climate trends is El Niño, a weather pattern associated with the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.

Under normal conditions, this pattern leads to heatwaves in known locations by scientists, but over the past decade – including the most recent El Niño event in 2023 and early 2024 – new ocean locations have experienced record breaking heatwaves and intense storms influenced by this phenomenon. These events are becoming unpredictable, dangerous, and prove that global warming is affecting all global processes, not just the warming of our oceans. This dramatic increase in temperature trends not only impacts short-term events and influences, but can predict what will happen in the long-term if trends continue to rise.

These studies and insights should be taken as warning signs to individuals, industries, and governments worldwide; unless we act now, the impacts of ocean warming will become irreversible.

More on the topic: Toward a New Global Approach to Safeguard Planet Earth: An Interview With Johan Rockström

Blue Planet Crisis: The Impacts of Warming Seas

Climate change is driven by human activity through the burning of fossil fuels and polluting industries such as agriculture and manufacturing. Natural processes also influence these numbers, adding onto the already dramatic effects of human activity. As a result, the greenhouse effect increases and global warming trends rise – altering the chemistry and heat content of the ocean.

SDG14 covers the main focuses of the ocean emergency, including coastal eutrophication, ocean acidification, ocean warming and sea level rise, plastic pollution, and overfishing. These five major impacts on our oceans, fuelled by climate change, have resulted in broken temperature records nearly every single day over the past year, with massive die-offs due to intense storms, bleaching events, and dead zones (due to oxygen depletion). 

The largest consequence of human-driven ocean warming is the considerable amount of damage done to global sea life. Mass bleaching events, which are due to ocean waters becoming too warm, turn critical coral nurseries to white skeletons. Coral reefs are keystone communities to marine life, with multiple functions as natural barriers to shorelines, home to thousands of fish and sea creatures, and are able to produce oxygen and new leads in medicinal and culinary purposes.

More on the topic: What Are Coral Reefs and Why Are They So Important?

Ocean acidification, a reduction in the pH of the ocean over an extended period of time, also stress marine ecosystems. Increased deoxygenation leads to dead zones which cannot support any life underwater. Dead zones can greatly affect non-mobile marine organisms that live deeper under water. When multiple processes combine, the effects multiply and can irreversibly damage ecosystem structure and function.

Marine life underwater are not the only species at risk; many creatures above water, such as penguin colonies or polar bears living in Arctic conditions on glaciers, suffer the loss of their ecosystem due to melting sea ice and rising sea levels caused by the albedo ice effect. Without coral communities and ice sheets, millions of native and keystone species are pushed toward extinction.

What Is in Store for the Future?

The big question for scientists and climate advocates around the world is: How can we stop this? The current state of our environment is the result of multiple factors and effects from past and present human activities, combined with natural processes. These drivers, which include climate change, overexploitation, pollution, and changes in land and ocean usage, influence how our planet is today.

Other categories of our ecosystems are improving, such as endangered species protection programs, water quality, or conservation efforts for estuaries and watersheds. Shining the light on recovery and mitigation efforts is crucial to providing hope and reducing pressure on other factors.

The urgent need to achieve the agreements on global temperatures below 2C above pre-industrial levels is still attainable, but will require much force before 2030.

The most important steps that we can take to help reverse or lessen changes to our planet include limiting greenhouse gas emissions, protecting and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems, increasing scientific research, and improving adaptation. 

Managing protected areas and providing assistance and mitigation aid to key marine habitats around the world can help improve resistance and environmental degradation against climate change. In terms of improving research, governments and organizations can provide funding and measurements for ocean warming impacts and solutions.

Now is time to take action – individually, and together. Protecting and conserving our ocean and its services is key to a healthy and happy future for every living being on Earth. But in order to succeed, we must step up efforts now, before it is too late.

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With ocean acidification and climate impacts on the rise, Florida’s coral reefs have been under strenuous conditions due to bleaching events, pollution, and warming ocean temperatures. Over the past decade, the State of Florida has taken critical steps towards fighting coral reef decline through restoration projects and research. A recent award by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Institute, their recovery efforts and partnerships will continue to expand.

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Florida’s coral reef extends over 350 nautical miles (648.2 km) and is bordered by communities housing over 6 million people. Composed of stony coral and octocoral that make up versions of both barrier reefs and patch reefs along the coast, the reef offers a multitude of benefits for the local population and economy. 

Coral reefs provide habitat for species crucial to commercial and recreational fisheries, serve as a pivotal site for biomedical research and education, and shield local shorelines from storms and wave erosion. They are also home to a diverse range of creatures and keystone species, which, unfortunately, draw the attention of tourists hungry for a closer look that often destroy the biodiversity and compromise the health of these already fragile ecosystems. 

Humans are behind global warming, one of the main reasons why these coral reefs are disappearing at a heightened rate, especially in heavily populated areas like along the Florida coast. Global warming is contributing to rising ocean temperatures, leading to more frequent reef bleaching and disease events and the loss of coral reefs worldwide. On top of this, land-based sources of pollution and human impacts alter the course of these coral reefs, making it nearly impossible for a majority of these locations to bounce back and return to their original colorful state. 

More on the topic: What Is Coral Bleaching?

How can we as a community combat this global issue and restore the quality and quantity of these beautiful reefs? With new funding and partnerships statewide, Florida’s reefs will be able to make a comeback from new innovative technology, restoration projects and expansion efforts, setting an example for other countries to follow.

‘Rainforests of the Sea‘

Corals are some of the oldest living animals found on our planet, supporting and hosting a rich web of life in our oceans. Florida’s coral reef – mostly based off of the state’s southeast coastline formation, stretching all the way past the Florida Keys – originated around 10,000 years ago, when sea levels rose and life returned to a normal state after the Ice Age.

Coral reefs are nicknamed the “rainforests of the sea” because of their diverse communities and coral skeletons that resemble trees, containing thousands of years of records and history. More than 25% of all marine species call coral reefs their home, including sponges, crustaceans, and fish. Corals are usually divided into two families: stony corals and octocorals, with more than 70 combined species found across Florida’s coral reef. 

Reef growth is very slow and colonies are very specific on where they live and how they develop. Reefs require a solid structure for growth and attachment, clean waters with low amounts of nutrients, warm waters, and low to moderate wave action, which allows the ecosystem to disperse waste and provide oxygen to the reef. They are also dependent on salinity, depth, and currents. 

More on the topic: Mass Coral Bleaching Event in Florida as Ocean Temperatures Exceed 100F

Florida Looking to Greatly Boost Restoration Efforts

In March 2024, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he will be awarding $9.5 million to Florida’s Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Initiative, established in 2019 to ensure the state tackles infrastructure development and coral reef technology and capacity for long-term support and recovery, and will prioritize safeguarding and partnering with other organizations to protect Florida’s coral reefs.

“Safeguarding our coral reef is important both environmentally and economically and we will continue to support projects that keep this natural resource healthy,” he said. 

The award includes specific coverage within the alliance initiative, including expansion of land-based propagation infrastructure impacting stony coral tissue loss disease, which was first reported in 2014 and has affected more than half of Florida’s reef-building corals. The coral outbreak has high rates of disease transmission and mortality, where a colony can be seen dead within only weeks to months after first signs of the tissue loss disease. Stony coral are known as the major reef architects so losing this species completely in Florida’s reef system will result in an entire ecosystem breakdown. By focusing on intervention and field trials, sampling and lab analysis as well as site monitoring and rescue efforts, Florida will be able to fight back against the epidemic and restore these colonies back to their original health.

The award also covers the expansion of research and development, coral restoration efforts and nurseries, and facilities to care for specific threatened species, such as the pillar coral. Other threatened reef species in Florida’s coral zone include the staghorn coral and the elkhorn coral, both siblings in the stony coral family. The action points listed will remain specific to different agency and organization regions in the state that aim to combat these goals with their unique knowledge, research laboratories and cooperation efforts, all of which will all receive dividends of the award to continue their research and expand their development capacity for coral reefs. 

Race Against Time 

Climate change, known as one of the greatest drivers of decline and extinction within all aspects of our global ecosystems, is also greatly impacting coral reefs. Harmful land-sea relationships – the combined effect of local land and sea-based human impacts on an environment like pollution harm and overfishing – are causing irreversible damage to corals. These measures include increasing water acidification, land-based pollution and rising fossil fuel emission, and warming oceans. 

“The burning of fossil fuels has been the main driver of ocean warming since the 1970s… Corals are fine-tuned to their environment. Even small changes in temperature can stress a coral out. This can lead to coral bleaching”, explained Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, a professor of Marine Studies at the University of Queensland. 

Coral bleaching events force corals to expel the algae from their tissues, which causes the loss of their vibrant colors and deprives the reefs of their main food source. This is where the name coral bleaching comes from.

Under normal conditions, coral reefs would have about two decades or less to recover between extreme or stressful events, such as disease or catastrophic storms. But under current conditions, things are different. 

The frequency and intensity of events are rising due to climate change impacts, leaving these reefs vulnerable and without enough time to recover and reproduce. This will not only affect corals but also the diversity of marine life dependent on these colonies.

Corals can take years to reach sexual maturity, and some reefs can take thousands of years to fully form, so addressing these losses is urgent and pressing if we want to maintain coral reef ecosystems as we know them,” said Katie Barott, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania studying how corals fare against climate change.

The warming of our oceans’ temperatures is not the only issue. Human activities produce overwhelming amounts of carbon dioxide that get sucked into our oceans. The heavy increase of carbon dioxide causes the ocean to become more acidic, which prevents coral polyps from producing their limestone skeleton. One long-term study at Florida Keys’ Looe Key reef published in 2023 found that warming ocean water is not just to blame for the decline in Florida’s coral reefs: “The 3 largest mass coral bleaching events occurred only in the years following increased land-based runoff.” This runoff, originating from the Everglades as part of a large drainage basin, brings agricultural fertilizer and excess nitrogen into the homes of reef colonies. 

You might also like: Scientists Confirm Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event Across 53 Countries

Vanishing Corals: Charting the Course for the Future

The warmer our planet and oceans become due to fossil fuels and climate change, the higher chance natural disasters and devastating events will strike globally. 

“Getting to zero carbon emissions is absolutely essential for the survival of coral reefs into the future… we’re not going to have the amount of biodiversity and services from these ecosystems that a lot of people rely on, both for their cultural value as well as for nutrition,” said Barott.

This underscores the urgent need for global action to fight the climate crisis. As carbon emissions continue to rise, the delicate cycle of coral reef ecosystems hangs in the balance. In order to turn the tide and bring these important ecosystem leaders back to their original state, Florida, along with dozens of other nations and states, will have to boost their restoration and project efforts even further, increasing research, conservation efforts, and global outreach to both small and large-scale communities worldwide. 

While some corals are adjusting and adapting to the harsh conditions, a majority will need human intervention to survive and bounce back. Only through land-sea policies and a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions will coral reefs have a chance to survive.

Individual action matters, too.

Many local neighborhoods have the ability to help save these ocean ecosystems by reducing fertilizer input into the watersheds, which will improve sewage treatment and better management of stormwater runoff from the mainland. Properly disposing of household chemicals and paints, and even choosing sustainable seafood options when eating out can help reduce local threats to coral reef health. 

Moreover, scientists have been working to identify the resilient coral species and develop methods to reintroduce corals into the ocean and use satellite data and surveys to give local residents information about their local reefs to understand how to better protect them. 

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