The Irish Times view on protecting the marine environment: the vital job of preserving biodiversity

Global sea surface temperatures have been at an all-time record high for an entire year. This almost went unnoticed amid unrelenting extreme weather events but, like the rise in sea levels , it is a slow but inexorable trend.

Vast amounts of excess heat created from greenhouse gas emissions trapped in the atmosphere are absorbed by seas. They are the planet’s great carbon store. But sea temperatures have risen each year for the past decade, impairing that ability and causing widespread ecosystem damage.

A report commissioned by the Irish environmental coalition Fair Seas provides an indication of what that threat is likely to be in Ireland this century. Completed by Plymouth Marine Laboratory it shows all inshore waters - close to coastlines - will be under pressure from climate change, with heightened risk of marine heatwaves.

The marine heatwaves that struck Ireland and across the world last summer were reminders of what risk this brings. Off the north west coast, sea temperatures were up to 5 degrees above normal. Rising temperatures may cause fish and other species in Irish waters to move to cooler northern latitudes.

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The findings are not a cause for despondency, however, as Irish marine areas are identified that are more resilient and can promote biodiversity in the face of worsening climate disruption. More than half of Irish waters can become sanctuaries. They are offshore and concentrated off the west coast. They should be designated as marine protected areas (MPAs). Critical legislation to facilitate the scale-up of MPAs is due to be published by the Government in coming weeks.

Fair Seas hopes their findings help to inform the site-selection process as they provide an opportunity to preserve biodiversity for future generations. As the report highlights, MPAs present an invaluable time-buying strategy to protect our marine wildlife until the pace of climate change has been slowed.