Global climate change is real and it’s happening now. From the Arctic with its diminishing sea ice to New England’s low-lying coastal areas to the Great Barrier Reef, the planet has heated up over the past century. CO2 levels are rising, and sea levels are too. Animals and plants are disappearing from some places and appearing in others. The oceans are a leading indicator of climate change — they are affected by climate change, and they in turn affect the climate. As an ocean steward, the Aquarium supports important research on climate change and supports using the oceans as a source of information.