The Baltic is cooking. All because of a dangerous phenomenon
Climate change is increasingly reflecting on the natural environment of the Baltic Sea. The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management has recently published a report that leaves no illusions – the Baltic Sea is more and more like a tropical sea, and this can have tragic consequences.
The Baltic Sea is a reservoir with a strategic importance, whose shoreline connects nine European countries, including Poland. It is estimated that as many as 15 million people live in the coastal regions of this sea.
The Baltic plays an important role in the economy, fisheries and tourism. However, according to scientists, the climate changes quickly enough that this can threaten the whole ecosystem. One of the most dangerous phenomena are the so -called sea heat waves, i.e. long -term periods in which the water temperature exceeds the norms.
IMGW has published a report. The conclusions are terrifying
In the report published by IMGW we read that the situation is becoming more and more serious. Research conducted by scientists from the University of Klaipeda show that in the south-eastern part of the Baltic-near Lithuania-sea waves of heat appeared almost every year between 1993 and 2023. What’s more, this phenomenon lasted longer every year. In 2021, hot waves in the water lasted up to 60 days. For comparison – in the early 1990s it was below 7 days.
In the same year, the water temperature exceeded the norm by as much as 4 degrees Celsius, reaching a maximum of 25.5 degrees Celsius – this is a value that is usually observed in the tropical seas.
Changes also do not bypass the Polish part of the Baltic. Air temperature analysis shows that from 1951 to 2020 the average temperature in our region increased by almost 0.3 degrees every decade. Although it may seem to be a small difference, in fact it leads to huge changes in the sea environment.
What are sea heat waves and why are they so dangerous?
Marine Heatwaves are phenomena during which the water temperature lasts above typical values for a long time. The Baltic – as a young and shallow sea – heats up much faster than deeper waters. In addition, its closed location and limited contact with the cooler North Sea mean that once heated water cools down very slowly.
Experts warn that such conditions lead to a decrease in oxygen content in water, which is deadly for marine life. Natural circulation between the surface and the bottom of the sea is also weakened, which can cause mass extinction of organisms.
As a result of insulation, the composition of microorganisms changes – thermophilic species begin to dominate, displacing native ones. The problem of the blooms of toxic algae, which threatens not only fish and vegetation, but also people.
