Archive Content

Please note: This page has been archived and its content may no longer be up-to-date. This version of the page will remain live for reference purposes as we work to update the content across our website.

Changing conditions in sea turtle nesting and foraging areas as a result of climate change are potentially serious for sea turtle populations already under pressure from over-exploitation, fisheries bycatch and habitat modification.
How might marine turtles be affected by climate change?

Regional Climate Projections

Understanding how nesting habitats may be affected by climate change, specifically changes in temperature and precipitation, is an important early step in assessing the vulnerability of regional sea turtle populations. Climate changes will not be uniform across the globe as they are influenced by local physical processes. WWF has used regional projections for changes in temperature and precipitation to investigate projected changes in nesting conditions in the Wider Caribbean.  
Regional Climate Projections
   
Flooding models under different sea-level rise scenarios are needed to better plan for coastal development and protected areas, in a way such that both marine turtles and local communities benefit. In this report we examine the impact of a 1 m sea-level rise on Playa Grande, the most important nesting site of the Eastern Pacific for the critically endangered leatherback turtle.  
Rising Sea Level due to Climate Change


Wider Caribbean Regional Climate Projections Mapping Tool 
© WWF/Marianne Fish
Check out our regional climate projections mapping tool
© WWF/Marianne Fish