Ocean and Climate Crisis

What is the cause?

The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas has released large volumes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, intensifying the greenhouse gas effect and causing the earth’s average temperature to increase. Whilst the destruction of vital carbon sinks such as rainforests and kelp forests has decreased the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere and also released carbon stores.

Human-induced climate change is caused by an exacerbation of the greenhouse gas effect, where increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations trap the heat from the sun and cause a rise in the global temperature.

Read More

Fossil fuels

CO2 levels have risen dramatically since the industrial revolution and are 50% higher than pre-industrial levels due to the burning of fossil fuelsi. Carbon emissions are driven by different sectors across the world and different countries, individuals and organisations have varying carbon footprints. For example, developed and rapidly developing countries have the highest carbon footprint and small-island nations have the lowest. However, it will be developing countries feeling the effects of climate change the most as they are less likely to be able to adapt.

Environmental Degradation

Carbon sinks such as kelp forests and rainforests forests play a key role in the regulation of CO2 levels through photosynthesis where they have trapped carbon for millions of years. The removal of these habitats due to intensive agriculture, overfishing and dredging has meant less CO2 is being absorbed from the atmosphere. It has also meant carbon stores have been released.

What needs to change?

To reverse the ocean climate crisis, we need urgent and drastic reduction in carbon dioxide emissions as well as the rapid embracing of nature-based solutions to limit carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. Our ambition is for the UK to be net zero carbon by 2030. We are calling for:

What is SAS doing?

Together with our network of ocean activists, we must ensure the voice of the ocean is heard within the climate crisis. We will raise awareness of the effect climate change is having on the ocean, and champion the oceans role as a key tool in tackling climate change.

Read More

Get involved

• Support the manifesto
• Read the report
• Follow our journey to Net Zero

Success Stories

Since 2006, we have been an active member of The Climate Coalition. Through The Climate Coalition, we have helped influence UK Government decisions in recent years such as the pledge to phase out coal power stations in 2015 and ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016.

In 2021, we delivered 68,000 signatures to No.10 Downing Street demanding the government put the ocean at the centre of the climate crisis. We mobilised thousands of ocean activists at the G7 Paddle-Out Protest and for The Global Day Of Action at Cop26. We joined 100s of youth activists together for the Youth Ocean and Climate Summit & developed their ideas into a Manifesto that has been handed to key decision makers. The ocean’s voice is now being heard in the climate emergency – this is just the beginning!