**6.4 Global climate change effects**

The effect of global climate changes on living organisms and ecosystems has become one of the major scientific and social issues in recent years. For the marine environment, the rise in temperature will change wind patterns and influence both marine productivity and the survival of sea turtle populations (Reina et al., 2009). Besides, global climate change will also influence surface current patterns. This will influence the foraging behavior of sea turtles and the quality of their nesting environments, influencing the migration routes and behaviors of sea turtles (Hawkes et al., 2009). Thus, long-term application of satellite telemetry and relevant ocean features will provide valuable information on how sea turtles come to cope with the ever changing environment. Because the influence of global climate change is more pronounced in higher latitude regions than at lower latitudes, the leatherback turtle appears to be an excellent candidate for this kind of study. Leatherback turtles forage near the polar region and nest in tropical continents (López-Mendilaharsu et al., 2009).
