Way up north, cold water in the North Atlantic ocean sinks very deep and spreads out all around the world. High-tech sensors gather data, including ocean surface temperature, surface winds, sea level, circulation, and even marine life. The ocean plays a fundamental role in mitigating climate change by serving as a major heat and carbon sink. What causes climate change? If we reach a tipping point, we will likely see more extreme weather events, changing ocean currents, rising sea levels and … Warmer oceans affect weather patterns, cause more powerful tropical storms, and can impact many kinds of sea life, such as corals and fish. Human health is vulnerable to climate change. Even if people stop adding extra greenhouse gases to the atmosphere now, oceans will continue to get warmer for many years as they slowly absorb extra heat from the atmosphere. Warmer oceans are also one of the main causes of rising sea level. Warmer oceans affect weather patterns, cause more powerful tropical storms, and can impact many kinds of sea life, such as corals and fish. In the Pacific Islands there are many low lying atolls, including many that are part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The global conveyor belt is a strong, but easily disrupted process. Hundreds of languages are spoken across thousands of islands and each nation has its own unique cultures and traditions. Pacific island nations are home to millions of people and span millions of square miles of ocean. Trouble in Paradise: How Does Climate Change Affect Pacific Island Nations? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts a further … Pacific island nations are home to millions of people and span millions of square miles of ocean. The majority of radiation from the sun is absorbed by the ocean, particularly in tropical waters around the equator, where the ocean acts like a massive, heat-retaining solar panel. 2. Observed Sea Level Rise in Boston Harbor Since 1922, sea levels in Boston Harbor have risen by 10.4 inches, a rate exceeding the global average of approximately 8 inches since 1900. Higher temperatures are bad for fish — and for us. History isn’t much of a guide. The ocean also bears the brunt of climate change, as evidenced by changes in temperature, currents and sea level rise, all of which affect the health of marine species, nearshore and deep ocean … The author emphasizes that the need for humans to consider the impacts of climate change on the ocean when considering adaptation to and mitigation of anthropogenic climate change, especially by intergovernmental organizations.