Where can I find out more about ocean acidification?

For scientific news, an excellent, constantly updated source is Ocean Acidification, a portal and blog sponsored by the European Project on Ocean Acification. Another excellent source is the PMEL Ocean Acidification site. For basic information, check out the Wikipedia article. Or follow A Sea Change on twitter.

What is “ocean acidification”?

When we think about urgent threats to our environment, the images which come to mind are usually smokestacks and automobiles belching exhaust and smoke into the sky. But much of that pollution–the carbon that billows into the atmosphere from cars, power plants and other smokestack industries–doesn’t stay there. Much of it is absorbed by the […]

What can I personally do to reduce ocean acidfication?

Any action you’d take to reduce release of CO2 in the atmosphere will help. So at home, for example, if your electricity comes from coal-fired plants, turn off unneccessary lights. In some part of the United States, it’s possible to choose where your electricity comes from; you can request that all your power be generated […]

What are the potential long-term consequences of ocean acidification?

Over the next century, steady increases in carbon dioxide emissions and the resulting rise in the acidity of the oceans could cause most of the world’s fisheries to experience a total bottom-up collapse, a state that could last for millions of years. Ocean acidification threatens over 1,000,000 species with extinction–and the protein source for 1 […]

What action is being taken to curb ocean acidification?

So far, not much! Reducing ocean acidification means reducing carbon output. And, as you know, nations are struggling to agree on acceptable levels of greenhouse gas. The upcoming meeting in Copenhagen this December, COP-15, will be a crucial time for all countries to come to grips with the reality of climate change, above and in […]

What about carbon sequestration?

So far, no reliable method has been found for removing excess carbon from the atmosphere, other than dissolving it in the ocean. Which as we’ve just learned isn’t a good idea! A method may be found, but until then, the only solution we know is radically reducing the burning of fossil fuels. Period.

Can the scenario really be this grim? Why haven’t I heard about it before?

Given all of the attention we’re paying to climate change on the earth’s surface, it does seem surprising that this threat has gone relatively unnoticed so long.  Most of us don’t look below the ocean’s surface. As long as we see fish in the supermarket and on our table, we don’t question where they’re coming from. […]