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Global temperatures in 2020 equalled record highs from 2016 According to jointly reported assessments from Copernicus, NASA, the UK Met Office and other institutions, 2020 saw global temperatures equal the record high of 2016. Overall, the planet was c. 1.25 °C warmer than during preindustrial times. In 2016, previously the hottest year on re- cord, temperatures were boosted by a strong El Niño, whereas 2020 was a La Niña year, which should have resulted in a cooling ef- fect. That this effect was not enough to pre- vent such high global surface temperatures— calculated as an average of readings from thousands of weather stations and ocean probes around the world—has resulted in serious concern among climate scientists. The increasing volatility of weather and cli- mate in awarming world has widespread ra- mifications for people andwildlife, and if the current rate ofwarming continues, theworld will breach the 1.5 °C target limit set by the Paris Agreement as soon as 2035. Source: Science (2021) sciencemag.org/ news/2021/01/global-temperatures-2020- tied-record-highs


Twelve new species discovered in the deep Atlantic Almost 5 years of studying the deep Atlantic in unprecedented detail has revealed 12 spe- cies new to science. The sea mosses, mol- luscs and corals had not previously been discovered because the sea floor is so unex- plored. Researchers warn that the newly discovered animals could already be under threat from climate change. Carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean is making it more acidic, causing coral skeletons in particular to corrode. The team also found c. 35 new records of species in areas where they were previously unknown. The project in- volved researchers from13 countries around the Atlantic, combining ocean chemistry, physics and biological discovery to work out how the ocean environment is changing as the world warms and as people exploit more of the deep sea for fishing and mineral extraction. Examination of ocean currents and depositions of fossils on the seabed re- vealed that the major currents in the North Atlantic have slowed dramatically in re- sponse to climate change. The implications of this are not fully understood, but it could mean that connections between ecosystems are being reduced. Source: BBC (2020) bbc.co.uk/news/ science-environment-55427860


Global shark and ray population decreased by .70% in 50 years.. . A significant increase in fishing since 1970 has ravaged the abundance of sharks and rays in our oceans, with previously wide- spread species such as hammerhead sharks now at risk of becoming extinct. Half of the world’s 31 oceanic shark species are now ca- tegorized as either Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Using previous studies and catch data, researchers compiled the first global census for shark and ray species. They found that there has been an overall 71% decline since 1970,as a result of an 18-fold increase in relative fishing pressure. This could be an under- estimate of real losses, because available data are insufficient to chart population trends back to the 1950s, when industri- alized fishing started increasing. Govern- ments need to enforce science-based catch limits on a domestic and regional basis to ensure sharks can continue to play their vital ecosystem role as predators. Sharks are also an important source of protein for poorer communities. Sources: Nature (2021) nature.com/articles/ s41586-020-03173-9 & The Guardian (2021) theguardian.com/environment/2021/ jan/27/sharks-rays-global-population- crashed-study


.. . and baby sharks emerge from eggs earlier and weaker in warmer oceans A new study that examined the impact of warming oceans on shark embryos found that baby sharks emerge from their egg cases earlier and weaker as water tempera- tures rise. The researchers found that epau- lette sharks, a species unique to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, emerged from eggs up to 25 days earlier under tempera- tures expected by the end of the century. The embryos ate through their egg yolks faster, and when they were born, the higher temperatures affected their fitness. Weaker sharks were less efficient hunters, which could upset the balance of the ecosystem in which they live. As waters get warmer, egg-laying sharks could potentially popu- late cooler areas, if they find the right habi- tat. Alternatively, they could genetically adapt to the warmer temperatures, but sharks are slow to reach maturity and re- produce, which makes them vulnerable to extinction. Sources: Nature (2021) doi.org/10.1038/ s41598-020-79953-0 & The Guardian (2021) theguardian.com/environment/2021/ jan/12/baby-sharks-emerge-from-egg- cases-earlier-and-weaker-in-oceans- warmed-by-climate-crisis


Marine protected area networks could help protect Antarctic penguins New research led by BirdLife International, the University of East Anglia and British Antarctic Survey highlights how a network of marine protected areas could help pre- serve some of the most important habi- tats for breeding Antarctic penguins. The Southern Ocean is home to four species: the Adélie, chinstrap, gentoo and emperor penguin. Many of their habitats remain un- protected, putting them at risk of human- related threats such as pollution, overfish- ing and climate change. The international research team used a new approach based on colony location, population estimates and tracking data, to identify 63 key sites known as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas. Currently 27–31% of the important sites for the Adélie and emperor penguins are within adopted marine protected areas, but almost none of the areas important for gentoo and chinstrap penguins are formally protected. The teamalso examined krill fish- ery activities over the last 50 years and found that a disproportionate amount of krill is being harvested within the Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas. Source: Open Access Government (2021) openaccessgovernment.org/network- of-marine-protected-areas-could-help- safeguard-antarctic-penguins/101983


There is no vaccine for climate change The world is not prepared for climate change, a new United Nations report has warned, highlighting how far countries have fallen behind in implementing adaptation measures. The Paris Agreement goal to keep warming at ,2 °C above pre-industrial le- vels this century is unlikely to be met, with 3 °C more likely. There is not only a lack of adequate policies and planning to adapt to the climate crisis, but also major financing shortfalls, and COVID-19 has pushed plan- ning for climate change down the list of pri- orities for most countries. But 2020 was not only the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the year of intensifying climate change, with heatwaves, floods, droughts, storms, wildfires and locust plagues. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, has noted there is novaccine for climate change, highlighting the need for a global commitment to put half of all global climate finance towards adapta- tion over the next year. Sources: Mongabay (2021) news.monga bay.com/2021/01/there-is-no-vaccine-for- climate-change-u-n-environment-chief- says & UNEP (2021) unep.org/resources/ adaptation-gap-report-2020


Oryx, 2021, 55(3), 323–328 © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605321000375


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