Participants identified rising ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, harmful algal blooms, extreme events, and the ability to predict and project these changes at scales meaningful to sanctuaries as the most pressing needs.

Marine heatwaves across the world’s oceans can displace habitat for sea turtles, whales, and other marine life by 10s to thousands of kilometers. They dramatically shift these animals' preferred temperatures in a fraction of the time that climate change is expected to do the same, new research funded by NOAA's Climate Program Office shows.

Snow is used by approximately ⅙ of Earth’s population for drinking, agriculture, and hydropower, among other uses. Despite its importance, “snow droughts,” or deficits in snowmelt, which can have serious regional and global consequences, have been fairly unexplored compared to other forms of drought, until now.

The report captures two days of plenary presentations as well as small breakout group discussions, and provides recommendations for future research directions for ESSM and partners.

Using climate projections to assess climate change risks remains challenging, in part due to the large associated uncertainties, such as those for extreme events.