CALL TO FORM - Climate Change MSCA-ID Consortium to research the impact of changing ocean / sea chemistry, biodiversity considerations, and invasive species

Background

The General Lighthouse Authorities of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (referred to as the GLA) hold the responsibility of delivering navigational services that underpin a safety critical, efficient and cost-effective service, for the benefit of all mariners.

By 2040, climate change is projected to have significant impact in the UK and Irish waters, which will present new challenges for at-sea operations. The GLA recognise this impact, and that climate change will affect broadly across their operations. Further, they are committed to minimising the negative contributions of GLA operations to the environment.

The GLA wish to rigorously investigate these impacts, in order to make sound evidence-driven decisions. The GLA operate a shared research and development department (GRAD – website: https://www.gla-rad.org/ ) which is recognised as an international centre of excellence on Visual and Radio Navigation, who are leading a programme of themed research activities on specific climate change challenge areas.

Three project themes are being explored:

1. CC1: The gradual effects of climate change on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities;

2. CC2: The impact of climate change extreme events on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities;

3. CC3: The impact of changing ocean/ sea chemistry, biodiversity considerations, and invasive species on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities.

CC3 Research Theme – The impact of changing ocean / sea chemistry, biodiversity considerations, and invasive species on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities

The chemical properties of seawater is changing due to climate change, including changes to the acidity and the salinity of water in different areas. Increased acidity and salinity are problematic for any equipment at sea as it increases the rate of corrosion, makes plastics more brittle and bleaches pigments in paints more quickly. Within this understanding the impact on seas-surface conductivity and knock-on to RF transmissions will be required. These effects will necessitate additional maintenance and adaptation of GLA assets.

With temperatures increasing, aquatic life is also changing around the British and Irish coastline. This has the potential to introduce new biological challenges to the operations of the GLA, especially where new invasive species pose a destructive threat to equipment at sea or coastline assets. Conversely, the positioning of GLA assets at sea could be advantageous as they could act as sentinels for new species arrivals.

Therefore, this project will investigate the impact of changing ocean/ sea chemistry, biodiversity considerations, and invasive species on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities.