With record water temperatures, rising land temperatures, and untimely pollution the Mediterranean Sea is in the front line for many issues this summer, particularly those related to global warming and human activity affecting the environment.
Last July, the Mediterranean Sea broke record temperatures, up 8 degrees higher than usual. This causes a danger of bleaching for coral and also encourages the invasion of unwanted creatures such as jellyfish or tropical fish species that come directly from the Red Sea, all of which are attracted by these new temperatures and thus upsetting the marine ecosystem’s natural balance. Unfortunately, this process has increased in recent weeks as temperatures have risen again during the month of August (with a record of 26.6° Celsius). Another direct consequence of climate change is rising sea levels. The Mediterranean climbed 13.7 centimeters in July, another record. A major concern, because some scientists believe that the Mediterranean could increase by a meter by the end of the century. Changes that represent disaster for the entire coast.
Man is also responsible
In addition to these already worrying consequences, man has (and above all) his share of responsibility in these developments. For now, the Mediterranean Sea has just beaten another (and worrisome) record: that of the most polluted European sea… A finding made by the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer), which estimates that there are more than 200,000 tons of plastic waste added to the Mediterranean Sea each year, be it bottles, cigarette butts, or various packaging. A situation that is worsening from year to year and which is now more than time to remedy… Monaco is already active with various operations such as “Stop butts”, “Party without balloons” or “I sail, I sort.”
*Article originally published in the French edition of the Monaco Tribune.