As society begins to see more evidence of global climate change—a rise in ocean temperatures and acidity, an increase in both the number and frequency of extreme weather events, and declining glaciers and Artic Sea ice, among other trends—coastal communities around the world are seeking ways to identify and mitigate the risks posed by a rapidly changing ocean. Doing so will require the knowledge and skills from experts in a wide range of fields, including risk analysis, oceanography, environmental security, and law.

A BIOS glider used for undersea research in the Sargasso Sea was one focus of a tour of BIOS with London-based Kylie Bamford (center), head of marine conservation for the overseas territories within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Joining her was Barry Bobin-Martin (right), executive officer at Government House in Bermuda.

The Ocean Risk Summit, held May 8-10 in Bermuda at the Fairmont Southampton Princess, was a first-of-its-kind event bringing together individuals from the political, economic, environmental, and risk sectors to examine the challenges and risks posed by ocean change and identify innovative approaches to building resilience.

During the last glacial period much of the Northern Hemisphere was blanketed by one or more sheets of ice.  Throughout this period, chunks of these continental ice sheets often broke off and surged into the North Atlantic, carrying with them large amounts debris and freshwater. These events, called Heinrich events, are often thought to have been responsible for changes in ocean circulation patterns; specifically, weakening the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a system of currents that transports water and heat from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere in the Atlantic basin.

Both BIOS and Bermuda College are known for providing outstanding educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects for the island’s young people. While the Bermuda College is a degree-granting institution and BIOS is a not-for-profit research and education facility that focuses on training local students in primary, middle, and high school, both organizations have a similar goal: to provide the island’s children and young adults with the knowledge, skills, and experiences required for future success in academics and the workforce.

For researchers interested in the global climate system, understanding what the future holds often involves studying the climate of the past—a scientific field called paleoclimatology. To understand what Earth’s climate was like thousands, even millions, of years ago, paleoclimatologists rely on preserved physical evidence of climate information, such as tree rings, ice cores, and even the shells of marine microorganisms.

Earth’s climate system is influenced strongly by ocean currents that are located both at the surface, as well as in deep water below 1000m.  Warm surface currents carry less dense water away from the Equator toward the poles, and cold deep currents carry denser water away from the poles. In this manner, ocean currents distribute heat energy and play a large role in regulating Earth’s weather and climate, in addition to cycling nutrients, salt, and gases such as carbon.