Every part of the ocean is now under threat from climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, according to the ninth Ocean State Report, published by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service. The EU’s Earth observation system paints a stark picture of unprecedented warming, advancing acidification, spreading plastic pollution and mounting risks to biodiversity hotspots.
The report highlights that endangered species and coral reefs face existential pressures, while plastic pollution now affects every ocean basin. It warns that the combined effects of warming, sea-level rise and ecosystem collapse are reshaping coastal economies and threatening global food security.
Record warming and accelerating change
The report underscores the speed of change. In spring 2024, global sea temperatures reached a record 21°C, with major knock-on effects across ecosystems. In both 2023 and 2024, ocean temperatures exceeded previous records by more than 0.25°C, sparking marine heatwaves that disrupted fisheries and coastal livelihoods.
Sea levels, meanwhile, have risen 228 millimetres since 1901, placing 200 million Europeans in coastal areas at risk and threatening UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Arctic recorded four consecutive all-time lows in sea ice between December 2024 and March 2025, losing an area nearly twice the size of Portugal.
Mediterranean fisheries under siege
The Mediterranean has become a frontline for invasive species. During the 2023 heatwave, warmer waters drove population surges of Atlantic blue crabs and bearded fireworms. These invasions placed local fisheries under severe pressure, with some communities pushed to the brink of collapse.
The Commission stresses that Copernicus provides the trusted data needed to safeguard biodiversity, cut pollution and boost resilience to climate change. Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space, said Copernicus was “a world-class capacity” enabling Europe to lead in observing and forecasting ocean conditions, with the EU committed to its continuity and expansion.
Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, described the findings as a “difficult but essential diagnosis” of the ocean. He said the triple planetary crisis -climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution- is no longer a future risk but a present reality. “The ocean is sending us a clear signal; we are now better equipped to answer it,” he noted. Kadis pointed to new tools such as the European Digital Twin of the Ocean, built on Copernicus and EMODnet data, which can simulate the spread of invasive species, forecast the impacts of heatwaves on fish stocks and test the effectiveness of marine protected areas before they are implemented.
A warning, and a call to act
The annual Copernicus Ocean State Report is intended as more than a scientific exercise: it is a warning and a call to policymakers. The data reveal how profoundly the ocean crisis is already reshaping ecosystems and economies. At the same time, they offer a roadmap for action, underpinned by observation, modelling and prediction, to help secure a resilient and sustainable blue economy.
