Climate change impacts sea turtles in a number of ways:
- Temperature determines sea turtle gender,
- Rising seas inundate and destroy nesting beach sites, and
- Changing ocean current patterns may prevent hatchlings from reaching their critical pelagic habitat they need to reach to survive their first few months and years at sea.
The time to act is now. Help us build resilient sea turtle populations, restore key ocean and beach habitat and ensure the long-term survival of these ancient species, while we reduce the impacts of oil and gas emissions and drilling.
Deadly Waters: The Threat of Climate Change & Rising Sea Levels to Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches

One impact of sea level rise is the loss or diminishment of beaches, including those on which sea turtles nest. In this report, we examine the impacts of sea level rise on major sea turtle nesting beaches for the seven species of sea turtles. From existing data and sea level rise projections, we have identified two major US nesting beach areas that are at risk from climate change: French Frigate Shoals in Hawaii and Padre Island National Seashore in Texas.
Read the ReportWhat We’re Doing

