Report: Ocean Animals Could Face Mass Extinction From Climate Change
The Facts
According to a study released Thurs. in the journal Science, roughly a third of all marine animals could vanish within 300 years if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed.
The researchers warned that by ~2100, the rate of loss of marine animals could mirror the 'Great Dying,' Earth's deadliest extinction event. The Great Dying saw the loss of 95% of all marine species when it occurred around 250M years ago.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is an important paper. It adds to the huge body of evidence that, unless more is done to curb our greenhouse gas emissions, our marine systems could see extinction events that rival Earth's largest mass extinctions. If we don't do anything about this, we're in deep trouble.
Narrative B
This is an instructive, but unlikely scenario. Life in the ocean is complex and there's a lot we just don't know about marine life and changing conditions. We can't forget that species are resilient and have their own ways of adapting.