“The ocean is sending us a clear signal; we are now better equipped to answer it,” said Costas Kadis, EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans.
Photo: Adobe Stock
A new European Commission report has warned that all parts of the ocean are now under threat from climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
The ninth Ocean State Report, published by the Marine Environment Monitoring Service of Copernicus, the EU space programme's Earth observation unit, outlines record-breaking ocean warming, growing risks to biodiversity, and accelerating acidification. Plastic waste is reported to be present across all ocean basins, while endangered species and coral reefs face critical pressures.
According to the findings, global sea surface temperatures reached an unprecedented average of 21°C in spring 2024, with major consequences for ecosystems worldwide. Marine heatwaves during 2023 and 2024 drove ocean temperatures more than 0.25°C above previous records, disrupting fisheries and coastal economies.
Rising seas are also a critical concern, with levels climbing by 228 millimetres between 1901 and 2024. The Commission said this increase threatens some 200 million Europeans living in coastal areas and places several UNESCO World Heritage Sites at risk.
The report also highlighted the ecological strain from invasive species. During the 2023 Mediterranean marine heatwave, warmer waters encouraged the spread of Atlantic Blue Crabs and Bearded Fireworms, pushing local fisheries close to collapse.
Meanwhile, the Arctic has experienced rapid change. Between December 2024 and March 2025, sea ice recorded four consecutive all-time lows, losing an area nearly twice the size of Portugal.
The Commission said the findings demonstrate the importance of Copernicus data for understanding how ocean changes affect food security, economies, coastal communities and global climate regulation.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space, said Copernicus gives the EU “world class capacity” to monitor the Earth’s environment and forecast ocean conditions. He added that the Commission is committed to maintaining and expanding the system, bringing together both public and private actors.
Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, described the report as “a difficult but essential diagnosis of our ocean,” adding that the so-called “triple planetary crisis is not a future threat, but a present reality in our basins.”
Kadis added that tools such as the European Digital Twin of the Ocean, built on Copernicus and EMODnet data, now allow policymakers to model scenarios including the spread of invasive species, the effects of marine heatwaves on fish stocks, and the performance of marine protected areas.
"We have taken the first necessary steps, as data is at the foundation of effective action. In line with the Ocean Pact’s Ocean Observation Initiative, we are leveraging the power of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean [...] to transform data into predictability, allowing us to move from observation to solution," Kadis said.
"Now, we can simulate the spread of invasive species, forecast the impact of heatwaves on fish stocks and test the effectiveness of MPAs before implementing them. These tools are crucial for a resilient and sustainable blue economy," he explained.
“The ocean is sending us a clear signal; we are now better equipped to answer it,” Kadis concluded.