COP26 in Glasgow ended this weekend after two weeks of climate action in the negotiating rooms, in the media and in the streets. See some contributions to the climate debate from DTU Aqua's marine scientists.
For the past two weeks, world leaders have been fighting over the wording of the final COP26 climate agreement in Glasgow. While the cutting down of rainforests, violent weather, rising temperatures and water levels have been top of mind in the world's media, DTU Aqua's researchers have of course also contributed to the climate debate with their knowledge of the world's oceans in relation to climate impacts.
See excerpts from the researchers' debate posts in Altinget.dk:
"The world does not perish, it just becomes different. The time to "save" the climate - or rather "preserve" the previous conditions - is soon over. Climate scientists identified the problem as early as 20-30 years ago. What we can do now is reduce further damage, repair what we have done, and prepare for the repercussions that will come - or have already occurred. "
- Colin Stedmon, professor.
"Approximately one billion people worldwide are dependent on fish in their daily diet, and the biological processes of the sea absorb about 30 percent of the CO2 that we humans emit every year.
To maintain marine ecosystem services, it is mandatory to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees and protect marine ecosystems. This applies not only to the coasts, but also to the great blue sea. ”
- Marja Koski, associate professor and senior researcher
“The climate in Northern Europe is relatively mild in relation to the high latitudes we live in in Denmark. This is because a stream of hot water flows from the tropics close past our shores. It is colloquially called the Gulf Stream. Recent scientific studies of the trends in the dynamics of ocean currents point to a possible collapse of the AMOC (part of the Gulf Stream, ed.). These studies are considered credible by the researchers because they are consistent with a well-known process that has taken place in the past - a so-called tipping point. "
"Although the probability of an AMOC collapse is relatively low now, the probability will increase if the earth's average temperature rises by more than two degrees. And that is exactly the scenario we are looking at, if not soon some serious decisions are made in the climate field by world leaders. "
- Karen Edelvang, Head of the Section for Oceans and the Arctic and Andy Visser, Professor
Photo: Alexey Seafarer / Colourbox. Arctic Landscape, Svalbard