Current topics in Oceanography #1

Yu, Kai

10/25/2019

The article name is:” The World’s Oceans Are in Danger, Major Climate

Change Report Warns” and the author is Brad Plumer. It was posted on sept 25 2019 in

The New York Times.

The link is: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/25/climate/climate-change-oceans-united-

nations.html

The article told about the climate change on the oceans (it is heating the oceans) and

impacts to our lives. First, many marine lives are dead because of rising ocean

temperatures. This is threatening seafood supplies. Secondly, it is exacerbating cyclones

and floods. As temperature rise, it is increasing the amount of water vapor. We will have

more rainfall and more flooding. The article is highly related to the oceanography

because the article told about the rising temperature of the ocean and cyclones and floods.

It is a global impact and a local impact. It is a global impact because the rising

temperature of the ocean is due to global warming. Global warming will may cause

extreme weather, ozone depletion etc.…. It is also a local impact to people who live in

coastal areas. As we discussed in the first paragraph, warming of the ocean surface and

global warming will be rising sea levels (due to thermal expansion and melting of

glaciers) and more rainfall. These effects will cause less seafood production and

cyclones. Many people living on the coastal area, the cyclone and flood will destruct
them
home. Their food sources will also be interrupted because their food is mainly from the

ocean. Now, it is not impacting our daily life a lot and a few impacts to people wo live

on the coastal area. But, for long term, the situation will become worst if we do nothing.

According to the article, we can reduce greenhouse gas emission to change the

situation. For example, we can drive less, plant more trees, use less air conditioning

etc.… It is important for our children’s future. As we discussed before, the global

warming and the rising temperature of the ocean have not highly impaction for our

current daily life. But, in the future, our children will be affected. So, we must protect

our earth and our ocean for our children and future generations. The topic is interesting

for me because in China we compare the sea as mother. So, I like the ocean and I want to

protect the ocean.