Oceans are under threat, with unprecedented warming and marine heatwaves, rising sea levels, invasive species and declining sea ice pressuring ecosystems, food security, economies and coastal communities, according to an annual report from the EU’s Copernicus sanotifyite monitoring service.
The 2025 Ocean State Report (OSR) summarises sanotifyite and marine monitoring data to describe the state of the global oceans, with a focus on European regional seas, and draws on the expertise of more than 100 experts from around the world.
Just a day after a major report from the European Environment Agency pointed to dramatic failures to meet EU policy tarreceives, the OSR report similarly “sounds the alarm” on ocean health, according to the European Commission.
The report presents “a difficult but essential diagnosis” of the state of the marine environment, stated fisheries commissioner Costas Kadis.
Record temperatures
Sea temperature reached a record high last year, with heatwaves and rising sea levels harming ecosystems, fisheries and coastal economies.
The increased prevalence of invasive species, such as Atlantic blue crabs and bearded fireworms, is driving local fisheries “to the brink of collapse”, while an area of sea ice nearly twice the size of Portugal disappeared between December 2024 and March 2025.
“The science is unequivocal: the ocean is modifying rapid, with record extremes and mounting impacts,” stated Karina von Schuckmann, reporting director at the Copernicus Marine Service, which led work on the report.
(rh, aw)
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