Marine heatwaves across Europe are being fuelled by climate change, posing a growing threat to marine ecosystems and coastal communities, according to a new study.Parts of the Mediterranean and Atlantic have recorded exceptionally high sea temperatures this summer, with the western Mediterranean reaching temperatures around 6°C above average last week.Reports of unusually warm seas, including in Maltese waters, have been frequent throughout the season. In July, sea temperatures around Malta climbed to nearly 29°C.According to a study released by World Weather Attribution (WWA), climate change is the primary driver behind these soaring sea temperatures.Researchers found that human-caused warming added around 2°C to sea surface temperatures in both the western and eastern Mediterranean, making marine heatwaves significantly more intense than they would have been in a pre-industrial climate.The warming attributed to climate change in the Mediterranean exceeds the roughly 1.3°C increase in global average temperatures since pre-industrial times.The findings echo warnings issued earlier this summer by leading Maltese marine biologist Alan Deidun, who said rising Mediterranean temperatures are placing increasing pressure on native marine species while creating ideal conditions for invasive species to spread, turning some bays into “alien worlds”.A map produced by Earth Null School even shows that the sea surrounding Malta reached temperatures 3.5°C above averageThe study also found that climate change dramatically increased the extent of marine heatwaves across European waters. Using simulations of a world without human-caused warming, researchers estimated that only 40% of the Bay of Biscay and 40% of the western Mediterranean would have experienced marine heatwave conditions this year. In reality, around 90% of the Bay of Biscay and 80% of the western Mediterranean were affected.The contrast was even more striking in the eastern Mediterranean, where around 70% of the region experienced marine heatwaves. Without climate change, the researchers estimate that only 9% would have been affected.The authors warned that sea temperatures are increasingly reaching levels that many marine species cannot tolerate, raising concerns about the future of Mediterranean ecosystems, fisheries and coastal livelihoods.They concluded that adaptation measures alone will not be enough. The report calls for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, warning that marine heatwaves will continue to intensify and become more common as the climate warms, placing increasing strain on marine life, food production, tourism and the communities that depend on them.•