Climate change is happening. And it is already affecting the Baltic Sea. Water temperature is rising, ice extent is decreasing, and annual mean precipitation is increasing over the northern part of the region. All these changes affect the nature of the sea, its ecosystems, and ecosystem services, as well as the human activities depending on the sea. For example, many wintering birds have shifted their wintering range northwards, the numbers of warm water fish species (such as sticklebacks) are increasing, the risk of infection of human-pathogenic Vibrio spp. has increased through surface water warming, and trawl fishing now begins earlier in the year. 

As we all know, the Baltic Sea is already under severe stress from different pressures. Pollution in the form of nitrogen and phosphorous drain from land and cause eutrophication. Hazardous chemicals end up in the sea. Biodiversity is lost. And so on. On top of this climate is changes. How the ecosystems will respond is a tricky question to answer. The sea is an intricate and complex system. 

The best answers can be found in a recent factsheet – Climate Change in the Baltic Sea 2021, produced by the Joint HELCOM/Baltic Earth Expert Network on Climate Change (EN CLIME). The network consists of more than 110 international scientists’ collaborating to assess for stakeholders and the public present knowledge how future climate change may affect the Baltic Sea.

So what is new in the fact sheet? Have we already seen most changes or are there surprises lurking around the corner? Professor Meier will summarise climate change impacts on the Baltic Sea physics and biogeochemistry/ecosystem and professor Rutgersson will give us the latest research on effects of extreme events and natural hazards in the Baltic Sea catchment area.

Welcome to a Baltic Breakfast webinar on effects of climate changes on the Baltic Sea!

Speakers

Prof. Dr. Markus Meier, Head of Department, Physical Oceanography and Instrumentation, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde; Professor University of Rostock; Senior Scientist at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute; Chair of the Baltic Earth Science Steering Group and Co-chair of the Baltic Earth/HELCOM Expert Network on Climate Change (EN CLIME).

Prof. Anna Rutgersson, Dep of Earth Sciences, Prg for Air, Water and Landscape Sciences, Meteorology, Uppsala University.

Practical information

This webinar is broadcasted on this webpage 14 December (CET) 2021.

No registration is needed.

The webinar will be recorded and can be watched afterwards at this same webpage.

Questions and discussion

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