Human-caused climate change was the main driver of recent record sea temperatures across Europe, scientists said Wednesday, warning of serious consequences for marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Europe’s seas have not escaped the extreme heat that many countries have endured this summer. Last month, the average temperature in the Mediterranean was 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest recorded in any July, while an offshore buoy near Mallorca recorded 33 C in early August. Human-caused climate change has added around 2C of warming to the Mediterranean and around 1.4Cto Western European seas, according to an analysis by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group, which uses peer-reviewed methods to assess the role of global warming in extreme weather events. “This has the potential to completely reshape the ecosystems that coastal communities depend on for food and income, and also cause damaging extreme weather conditions on land,” said Claire Bergin, a climate scientist at Maynooth University in Ireland and co-author of the study. To display this YouTube content, you must enable ad tracking and audience measurement. OK Manage my options One of your browser extensions appears to be blocking the video player from loading. To view this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again Cover image: © France 24 The analysis found that the maximum sea temperatures recorded this year in the eastern and western Mediterranean and along the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate change. In the Celtic Sea, off Britain and Ireland, the most extreme temperatures on record would have only been expected about once a century in a world without human-caused climate change, it found. Warmer seas increase humidity and nighttime temperatures in coastal areas and can help fuel intense storms later in the year. Greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels, have raised the planet’s average temperature to around 1.4 C above pre-industrial levels, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Read moreBelgium forest fires burn 3,000 hectares as villagers evacuate, EU sends planes This hotter baseline means high-pressure atmospheric systems that cause heat waves can reach higher temperatures. Spikes in sea temperatures can cause massive die-offs of species such as corals and disrupt the food supply for birds and mammals, with knock-on effects through food chains. John Bruno, a marine ecologist at the University of North Carolina, said some species were moving north in search of colder waters, but not all were able to adapt. “We are rapidly approaching the absolute biological limits of adaptation for many species,” he said. According to WWA analysis, around 90% of the Bay of Biscay and 80% of the western Mediterranean have experienced marine heatwave conditions this year. Without global warming, that figure would have been closer to 40%. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters)