OCEAN STATE REPORT SUMMARY Implemented by OCEAN STATE REPORT (4) SUMMARY ABOUT THE ABOUT THIS OCEAN STATE SUMMARY REPORT This document is a summary of the fourth issue of the Copernicus Marine Ocean State Report and highlights the current state, natural variations, and ongoing The Ocean State Report is an annual changes in the global ocean. It draws on the Copernicus Marine Ocean Monitoring publication of the Copernicus Marine Indicator (OMI) framework. Service that provides a comprehensive and state-of-the-art report on the current It approaches the topic from several angles, presenting the state of key ocean variables, state, natural variations, and ongoing examining ongoing changes to the ocean in line with climate change, analysing changes in the global ocean and European natural variability and extreme events, and discussing the services that the ocean regional seas. It is meant to act as a provides to humanity. Finally, new tools and success stories from the Copernicus reference European Union report for the Marine Service illustrate how accurate, timely information is key to understanding scientific community, international and and adapting to the evolving ocean and seas. national bodies, and the general public. Using satellite data, models and reanalyses, and in situ measurements, the Copernicus SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Marine Ocean State Report provides a 01 AND THE OCEAN 4-dimensional view (latitude, longitude, Society, a sustainable economy, and of the ocean in the framework of the UN depth, and time) of the blue (e.g. the environment —the three pillars of Sustainable Development Goals, supported hydrography and currents), white (e.g. sea sustainable development— rely on the by ocean data and information. Page 3. ice) and green (e.g. biogeochemical) ocean. ocean. This section explores the importance It draws on expert analysis and is written by over 100 scientific experts from more than 30 European institutions. Scientific integrity is assured through a process of independent CHANGING peer review in collaboration with the 02 OCEAN Journal of Operational Oceanography. Key indicators are used to track the vital understand changes already in motion and health signs of the global ocean. This presents notable changes to the ocean over section presents the indicators from the last quarter of a century. Page 4. P ACIFI Copernicus Marine used to monitor and C OC EAN ARCTIC OCEAN 2 MAJOR IMPACTS OF 1 4 CLIMATE CHANGE 3 03 The ocean is undergoing sweeping, the global ocean is becoming warmer and A T L A N 5 T 7 I severe, and unavoidable changes, with more acidic, sea level is rising, and that sea C O C E A N 6 major impacts on marine ecosystems and ice is retreating. This section presents the humanity. The IPCC Special Report on Ocean most notable impacts of climate change on and Cryosphere, and the Copernicus Marine the ocean. Page 6. Service Ocean State Report both show that N CEA N O INDIA THE OCEAN AS A 04 SERVICE PROVIDER Humans depend heavily upon the ocean specific examples of ocean ecosystem COPERNICUS MARINE REGIONAL through the goods, cultural importance and services and details the key ocean variables OCEAN PRODUCT DIVISIONS services provided by marine ecosystems. that underlie these services. Page 12. This section provides an overview and 1 Global Ocean 2 Arctic Ocean 3 Baltic Sea MONITORING THE OCEAN 4 European North West Shelf Seas 05 WITH COPERNICUS MARINE 5 Iberian Biscay Ireland Seas The Copernicus Marine Service provides state- the marine environment. This section presents 6 Mediterranean Sea of-the-art analyses and ocean forecasts, offering advancements in the Copernicus Marine service, a valuable capability to observe, understand, and successful examples of applying these tools 7 Black Sea and anticipate changes and extreme events in in practice. Page 16. 2 OCEAN STATE REPORT (4) SUMMARY The ocean is essential, both The health of the environment SUSTAINABLE directly and indirectly, for is the basis of a sustainable nearly all life on the planet. future, and the infographic DEVELOPMENT Human well-being and below provides a view of the civilisations rely on the ocean United Nations Sustainable AND THE OCEAN — billions of people depend on Development Goals showing the ocean for their livelihoods, that the ocean environment and the market value of marine supports both economical and and coastal resources and societal development. industries is estimated to be trillions of US Dollars. THE ENVIRONMENT IS INTEGRAL TO WHY IS THE OCEAN ALL UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE IMPORTANT? DEVELOPMENT GOALS ECONOMY Coastal Services Marine & Coastal Resources Marine Food Trade, Shipping & Transportation Natural Resources Sustainable Blue Economy & Energy Trade & Marine Navigation SOCIETY Food Security Adaptation & Mitigation Urban & Regional Planning Policies, Governance & Mitigation Disaster Risk Management Education, Public Health Environmental Protection & Recreation Public Health & Recreation Science & Innovation Marine Pollution Waste Dumping Ground Extremes, Hazards & Safety Ocean Governance & Legal Frameworks ENVIRONMENT Sea Level Carbon Uptake & Storage Oxygen Reservoir Ocean Currents Polar Environment Heat Uptake & Storage Monitoring Freshwater Storage Marine Conservation & Biodiversity Ocean Health Biodiversity & Climate & Adaptation Ecosystem services Sea Ice Ocean Space Earth System Climate Weather COPERNICUS MARINE & Extremes SUPPORTS BLUE MARKETS Modified after von Schuckmann et al., 2020, through data, information, and services, across the and the Stockholm Resilience Centre. environment, society, economy pyramid. 3 OCEAN STATE REPORT (4) SUMMARY CHANGING WHAT ARE THE WMO GLOBAL OCEAN CLIMATE INDICATORS? The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global To understand long-term in motion and help us adapt Climate Indicators are a set of parameters that provide key changes to the ocean, we must to a changing climate. The information for the most relevant domains of climate change. monitor ocean indicators — Copernicus Marine Service is key variables used to track the tuned into the needs of the WMO GLOBAL CLIMATE INDICATORS vital health signs of the global international community and ocean. These indicators are provides updates on these crucial if we are to monitor and indicators split across the blue, understand changes already green, and white ocean. Temperature Ocean Cryosphere and Energy and Water GREEN OCEAN Mediterranean Sea Black Sea Baltic Sea Arctic Ocean CHLOROPHYLL-A TREND FROM 1997-2019 TREND FROM 1997-2019 TREND FROM 1997-2019 TREND FROM 1997-2019 UNITS: %/YEAR +0.21 −1.33 +0.85 +0.71 ±0.87 %/YEAR ±1.01 %/YEAR ±0.68 %/YEAR ±0.16 %/YEAR North Atlantic Ocean Western Pacific Islands Central Pacific Islands Pacific Islands Total Area TREND FROM 1997-2019 TREND FROM 1997-2018 TREND FROM 1997-2018 TREND FROM 1997-2018 +0.17 −0.82 −0.80 −0.70 ±0.01 %/YEAR ±0.01 %/YEAR ±0.002 %/YEAR ±0.001 %/YEAR OCEAN OXYGEN ACIDIFICATION Ocean and Water INVENTORY UNITS: pH/YEAR UNITS: MOL/M2/YEAR TREND FROM 1985-2018 TREND FROM 1955-2017 Contributions to: Eurostat/EEA in support of SDG 14 Black Sea Global Ocean −0.15 −0.0016 ±0.02 MOL/M2/YEAR ±0.0006 pH UNITS/YEAR As pH decreases, ocean acidification increases. WHITE OCEAN ARCTIC ANTARCTIC SEA ICE Trend 1979-2018 SEA ICE Trend 1979-2018 EXTENT EXTENT UNITS: KM2/DECADE −520,000 UNITS: KM2/DECADE +120,000 ±30 000 KM2/DECADE ±50 000 KM2/DECADE* Trend 1993-2018 Trend 1993-2018 −750,000 −10,000 ±60 000 KM2/DECADE ±120 000 KM2/DECADE* Cryosphere * Trend not statistically significant 4 OCEAN STATE REPORT (4) SUMMARY The blue ocean describes the physical The green ocean is concerned with The white ocean refers to the life cycle state of the ocean, such as sea surface biogeochemical processes, the transfer of any kind of floating ice in the polar temperature, sea level, currents, waves, of simple chemical substances between regions. Indicators for the white ocean and winds. Measurements of ocean heat ocean life and the ocean environment. include the extent, volume, and thickness content, salinity, and density also fall The green ocean encompasses, for of sea ice in the Baltic Sea, Arctic Ocean, under the blue ocean. example, variations in the biological and Antarctic Ocean. carbon pump, chlorophyll-a concentrations, ocean nutrients, and primary production, as well as ocean acidification and ocean deoxygenation. BLUE OCEAN SEA Mediterranean Sea Black Sea Baltic Sea SURFACE TEMPERATURE +0.037 +0.07 +0.031 UNITS: DEGREES CELSIUS/YEAR ±0.002 °C/YEAR ±0.006 °C/YEAR ±0.003 °C/YEAR TREND FROM 1993-2018 Western Pacific Islands Central Pacific Islands Pacific Islands Total Area Global Ocean +0.02 +0.01 +0.02 +0.014 ±0.01 °C/YEAR ±0.02 °C/YEAR ±0.01 °C/YEAR ±0.001 °C/YEAR Temperature and Energy OCEAN HEAT Black Sea Western Pacific Islands THERMOSTERIC CONTENT SEA LEVEL (0-700 M) +1.1 +1.55 (0-700 M) UNITS: WATTS/M2 ±0.1 W/M2 ±1.54 W/M2 UNITS: MM/YEAR TREND FROM 1993-2018 TREND FROM 1993-2018 Pacific Islands Total Area Central Pacific Islands Global Ocean +1.08 +0.85 Global Ocean +0.9 ±0.74 W/M2 ±0.72 W/M2 +1.5 ±0.1 W/M2 Temperature and Energy Contributions to: WMO State of ±0.1 MM/YEAR the Climate 2019 SEA Mediterranean Sea Black Sea North West Shelf Baltic Sea LEVEL UNITS: MM/YEAR +2 .5 +2 . 2 +2 .7 +3.9 TREND FROM 1993-2018 ±2.2 MM/YEAR ±2.2 MM/YEAR ±2.0 MM/YEAR ±2.2 MM/YEAR Global Ocean Iberian Biscay Ireland Seas Western Pacific Islands Central Pacific Islands Pacific Islands Total Area +3.3 +3.3 +4.8 +3.1 +3.5 ±0.4 MM/YEAR ±2.0 MM/YEAR ±2.5 MM/YEAR ±2.5 MM/YEAR ±2.5 MM/YEAR Ocean and Water Contributions to: WMO State of the Climate 2019 5 OCEAN STATE REPORT (4) SUMMARY MAJOR IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE OCEAN ACIDIFICATION: Atmospheric THE OCEAN Carbon Dioxide IS BECOMING MORE ACIDIC Ocean acidification threatens The ocean is a major sink of anthropogenic excess CO2.