No matter where you live, the ocean makes life on Earth possible, and it is one of our biggest tools to fight climate change. The ocean helps regulate our climate and absorbs heat, and currents distribute that heat around the globe. Photosynthetic organisms like phytoplankton and kelp remove heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Sea ice reflects the sun’s radiation back out of our atmosphere. We need to protect our ocean if we are to have a chance at reversing climate change. Learn More >
Use the Resources below to learn about climate change’s impacts on the ocean and fuel your research for the 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest.
Causes of Climate Change
Climate change is caused by humans releasing heat-trapping gases – like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – when we do things like drive cars or use non-renewable electricity.
Explore the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Explorer
These gases hang around in our atmosphere, preventing heat from escaping and raising global temperatures. Much of this excess heat is absorbed into our oceans, with catastrophic effects. Learn More >
Heat-trapping gases can also come from some surprising sources, like deforestation, agriculture, and plastic production. Learn more below.
As you read and learn about environmental injustice, look for climate heroes who are tirelessly fighting injustice.
- These young leaders are driving action on nature and climate
- Thousands call for ‘climate reparations and justice’ in global protests
- President Lula’s first pro-environment acts protect Indigenous people and the Amazon
- In the Ecuadoran Andes, protectors of the páramos guard their water source
- Poisoned Water & Corporate Greed: Attorney Robert Bilott on His 20-Year Battle Against DuPont
- As Biden Axes KXL Pipeline, Water Protectors Urge Him to Reject DAPL and Line 3
Climate Anxiety
Climate change can feel scary, overwhelming, and depressing. It is important to let yourself feel anger at its impact on your daily lives, and grief at the loss of ecosystems or species. That grief is a reminder of our love for this living blue planet.
Use your art-making to speak up for and imagine a better future. It’s not too late to make radical changes to improve our climate’s trajectory. We believe that art-making is a powerful tool to help you explore, experience, and process your deepest responses to what’s going on in the world, and our global Ocean Awareness Contest is community-centered around collective expression. We’re all in this together 💪
