Plankton decline in the North East Atlantic: what it means for ocean carbon cycling and climate policy

A new study from the University of Plymouth analyzed over 60 years of plankton data across the North East Atlantic and found that no pelagic habitats in the region are in good environmental status. The Celtic Seas and the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast were rated as not good, while the Greater North Sea was uncertain. The researchers link the decline to rising sea surface temperatures, changing nutrient conditions, and declining pH driven by climate change. Plankton are critical for carbon cycling and produce about half of the oxygen we breathe. The study calls for stronger action to reduce carbon emissions, cut nutrient pollution, and sustain long-term monitoring programs that are currently at risk due to funding cuts. This is a concrete signal that ocean health is worsening and that climate mitigation has direct consequences for marine ecosystems.