Is climate change turning the ocean green?
A new study revealed that 56% of the global sea surface has undergone a significant change in color in the past 20 years. After analyzing ocean color data from the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument on @nasa’s Aqua satellite, they found that much of the change stems from the ocean turning more green.
This map highlights the areas where ocean surface color changed in the last 20 years. The black dots on the map indicate the area, covering 12% of the ocean’s surface, where chlorophyll levels also changed over the study period.
Why green? It's difficult to say, but the team posits that it could be from different types and abundances of plankton or other factors.
This shift in the water’s hue confirms a trend expected under climate change and signals changes to ocean ecosystems.
Image Description: A global map centered on the Pacific Ocean. The map highlights the areas where ocean surface color changed. Change in color is represented by shades of green. The darkest green correlates to higher levels of change. Black dots on the map represent areas where chlorophyll levels also changed.
#Climate #NASA #Ocean #ClimateChange #Earth #EarthScience #ClimateData #EarthData
Sustainable construction is moving from ambition to enforceable systems change, with electrified buildings, resilience and whole life carbon now shaping development strategy. Calls for a UK 2035 electrification target covering heat pumps, solar, batteries and clean technologies put pressure on developers to align sustainable building design with low-carbon power, flexible demand and on-site generation. Fabric-first design remains vital, but net zero carbon buildings will increasingly depend on operational performance, smart controls and credible whole life carbon assessment.
Global energy markets are accelerating the shift. Forecasts of a 4,800GW rise in renewable capacity by 2035, supported by China’s clean-tech export strength, are changing the economics of building services. Heat pumps, battery storage and intelligent controls are becoming core infrastructure for energy-efficient buildings, not optional upgrades. Future-ready assets will need low carbon design capable of using variable clean electricity while protecting occupiers from volatile fossil fuel costs and reducing the carbon footprint of construction over time.
Regulation is tightening around measurable performance. The Future Homes Standard is forcing design teams to reassess roofs, floors, comfort, ventilation and commissioning, while building-controls specialists are urging ministers to turn efficiency policy into practical support for businesses. BREEAM, BREEAM v7 and lifecycle assessment frameworks are becoming more important for demonstrating environmental sustainability in construction, linking embodied carbon, operational energy, life cycle cost and building lifecycle performance in a single evidence base.
The next phase of green construction will demand stronger action on embodied carbon in materials, low carbon construction materials and sustainable material specification. Developers, architects and contractors face growing pressure to use environmental product declarations (EPDs), low embodied carbon materials, renewable building materials and green building products to prove carbon footprint reduction. Circular economy in construction is also moving up the agenda, with circular construction strategies, resource efficiency in construction and end-of-life reuse in construction becoming central to net zero whole life carbon delivery.
Climate adaptation is now a capital planning issue. New flood and coastal-defence schemes in England and Wales show that green infrastructure, sustainable urban development and low-impact construction must protect assets from climate risks already locked in. Sustainable architecture and eco-design for buildings can no longer treat resilience separately from decarbonising the built environment. The industry must deliver eco-friendly construction, carbon neutral construction and sustainable building practices that reduce the environmental impact of construction while preparing communities for more extreme weather.
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