Climate change is degrading NZ's seas, says new report

Climate change is degrading NZ's seas, says new report
NZ coastal sea temperatures have risen by 0.2C and marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe. (Image: Unsplash)
Greg Hurrell
New Zealand’s oceans are under pressure from climate change and that is threatening billions of dollars of coastal infrastructure, a new survey of its seas shows.There are some positives, mainly around coastal and estuary water quality, but the overall trend is towards rising sea levels, increasing acidification of the ocean and the spread of non-native species. Our Marine Environment 2022 was released by the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics NZ. It is the third in a series looking at the marine environment, after reports i...

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