The NSW Government, through the Marine Estate Management Strategy, has released Changing Oceans: Science and Synthesis, a report that brings together the latest science on how ocean conditions are changing across the NSW marine estate.
The report provides a clear, evidence‑based picture of current and future marine conditions, including ocean warming, marine heatwaves, sea level rise, ocean acidification, changing currents, and the impacts of ocean temperatures and pH on estuaries. It synthesises research from leading scientists and long‑term monitoring programs to support future planning and management of NSW’s marine environment.
Ocean warming has significant implications for marine habitats, threatened and protected species, fisheries and coastal communities. Changing Oceans: Science and Synthesis translates complex scientific information into an accessible resource for decision‑makers, managers and the broader community.
The report supports climate change planning across the NSW marine estate by identifying key trends, risks and knowledge gaps, while highlighting how changing ocean conditions can interact with and worsen existing pressures on the marine environment.
By bringing this information together in a single resource, the report strengthens the evidence base for adaptive management and helps ensure actions to protect the marine estate are informed by the best available science.
Changing Oceans: Science and Synthesis is now available on the NSW Marine Estate website and will help inform future management aimed at improving the resilience of NSW’s marine ecosystems in a changing climate.
The report also supports the Marine Estate Management Strategy and NSW’s climate change adaptation goals by improving access to high‑quality, decision‑ready science.
Changing Oceans: Science and Synthesis was developed by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
More information to support adaptation planning around coastal hazards can be found on the Future Climate and Adaptation Hub on SEED Coastal hazards | Future Climate and Adaptation Hub
