Ocean acidification could “fundamentally change the marine eco-system” and cause irreversible damage if left unaddressed, according to a new analysis.
A report published ahead of next week’s United Nations COP16 biodiversity conference by Economist Impact for non-profit Back to Blue, warns there is currently a severe lack of research around ocean acidification around the world.
According to the study, just 13 governments globally have action plans to tackle the issue, despite fears it could be disastrous for marine life, food chains and economies around the world.
Ocean acidification occurs when the oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but cannot sequester it quickly enough.
The excess levels of carbon dioxide in the water lead to lower pH levels meaning increased acidity, in a process known as ocean acidification.
The report’s lead author, Professor Steve Widdicombe said left unchecked, ocean acidification could “fundamentally change marine ecosystems as we know them” in an interview.
Professor Widdicombe added there are still lots of areas around the world where research into the rate and impact of ocean acidification is “seriously lacking”, particularly around developing countries and small island states.
He told me ocean acidification impacts depend on their context and geography, and need to be studied in the real world, and not just in the laboratory.
“Just by doing a piece of research in Western Europe does not necessarily mean that you understand what is going to happen in South America, Africa or the Pacific Islands,” said Professor Widdicombe.
He said research has already shown how increased acidification impacts sea creatures that have shells made out of calcium carbonate, including corals, crabs, oysters and lobsters.
“It was originally thought that the uptake of carbon dioxide into the ocean was actually a really good thing, because it was ultimately reducing global warming by limiting the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,” he explained.
“But the problem is carbon dioxide is going into the oceans way too fast and in huge amounts, meaning that the Ocean’s natural buffer just cannot cope.
“It is now having some really big negative impacts in the ocean system.”
Professor Widdicombe said it was important for individual governments to include ocean acidification in their environmental policies and take affirmative action.
At the previous COP15 conference on biodiversity, which was held in Montreal, Canada in 2022, a set of 23 targets were set to stem biodiversity loss and restore natural ecosystems by 2030.
One of these targets included minimizing the impacts of ocean acidification on biodiversity.
The Back to Blue study is based on interviews with scientists from UNESCO, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
The scientists have also advocated for funding for a new research initiative that will integrate marine biology and chemistry to deepen the understanding of ocean acidification’s role in biodiversity loss and establish its causal link to species decline.
Pepe Clarke, oceans lead at WWF said climate-related biodiversity loss in the oceans is already catastrophic in a statement.
“The more conclusive data we can collect, the more national action plans we will see grounded on scientific evidence,” added Clarke.
“While other stressors on marine life such as overfishing and chemical pollution may be at the top of political agendas, ocean acidification is silently destroying what we rely on most.”
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