Yet another report has warned that our oceans ecosystems are collapsing. Scientists say it could cause devastating problems for our coastal communities.

Pagan Blight reports.

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A worldwide group of experts has released a new report on our oceans.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says they are rising faster than expected.

It says the ice sheets are melting and the oceans are warming.

Catherine Lovelock, UQ Professor: “The take home message of the report is that this is a wake-up call. The usual IPCC reports really focus on the land you know? And this is about the oceans.”

Coastal areas are expected to face bigger waves, more storms and a decrease in ocean productivity.

Eighty per cent of Australians live within 50km of the coast, and experts say we need to take note.

Catherine Lovelock, UQ Professor: “As Australians, we live on the coast and we really need to think about sea level rise and how to plan to basically allow our ecosystems and our communities to get through it.”

There was a 15cm rise in sea levels in the last century.

But this report says there will be a further 110 centimetres by 2300.

The report says that extreme sea level events that have occurred once per century, could occur yearly.

The Australian Marine Conservation Society believes we need to drastically reduce greenhouse emissions to prevent further damage to our coasts.

Pagan Blight, QUT News.