The ocean absorbs approximately 26% of the CO2 added to the atmosphere from human activities each year, greatly reducing the impact of this greenhouse gas on the climate. Learn about marine pollution, ocean acidification and marine biodiversity. The increasing ocean acidification is threating coral reefs and other shell life in the oceans. fish, and their decline may trigger a chain reaction through the marine food web.

Learning to manage our ocean sustainably is the only path to global prosperity and peace, International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme, Executive Secretary, ADG of UNESCO for IOC, Improving measurement of Gender Equality in STEM, Women’s participation in policy-making processes, Biodiversity & Society, Culture and Ethics, Disaster Risk Reduction in UNESCO designated sites, IOC Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States, IOC Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions, IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific, Women marine scientists share their stories, International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP), Resources for delegates, experts and decision makers, Proposal to Implement Urgent Actions to Mitigate and Adapt to Ocean Acidification, Ocean Acidification: A Summary for Policymakers, Infografic on the Ocean, Our living Resource. Ocean Acidification may be the most pressing issue facing the planet today. All three places have one thing in common, they all contribute to disrupting the natural checks and balances of nature. Methods must be developed to examine the full ecosystem response to multiple environmental factors. Given the likelihood that ocean acidification will negatively affect biodiversity and commercial fisheries, global policies are essential to insure against extreme food shortages that could lead to famine, increased poverty and conflicts, including war. Check out their progress on the log book. Ocean acidity has increased by 30% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This is about common resources that flow though political boundaries: our atmosphere and our ocean. Greening your home: optimize insulation, heating and cooling systems. © NOAA The Limacina helicina pictured here is a victim of ocean acidification. The impacts of plankton on life on earth are so broad that they are highly important for global human security; it is absolutely essential to get a better understanding of plankton ecosystems. It causes seawater to become corrosive to the shells and skeletons of numerous marine organisms, affecting their reproduction and physiology. With the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere rising drastically in the past few decades, this is causing the oceans CO2 levels to rise as well. When CO2 dissolves in seawater, carbonic acid is formed. Ocean acidification may have a strong negative impact on many plankton and zooplankton species that form the base of the marine food chain. UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC) is keen to play an advocating role for the ocean through the Rio+20 preparatory process, and to encourage Member States to integrate, as far as possible, the importance of the ocean in sustainable development strategies and plans. Ocean acidification, along with warming surface waters, may reduce the ability of the ocean to absorb CO2, leaving more CO2 in the atmosphere and worsening its impact on the climate. Within decades, the chemistry of the tropical oceans will not sustain coral reef growth while large parts of the polar oceans will become corrosive to calcareous marine organisms. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving, take short showers instead of baths, and check for wasteful leaks. Ocean sustainability embodies the approach required to manage our oceans and the services they provide.The oceans and in particular their coastal areas are an essential component of the Earth’s ecosystem hosting between 500,000 and 10 million species that provide a … UNESCO » Natural Sciences » IOC Oceans » Focus Areas » Rio+20 Ocean » Blueprint for The Future We Want » Ocean Acidification. This causes ocean acidification. Greening your transportation: carpool, use public transportation or bike. Our focus on environmental sustainability is two fold, consistent with the expertise in our team: Biological Carbon Capture and Storage BIOCCS. When CO 2 dissolves in seawater, carbonic acid is formed. Every time we send more carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) into the atmosphere it is either taken up by terrestrial plants, remains in the atmosphere, or is absorbed by oceans.

While many have become aware of the thermal aspects of climate change that result from too much carbon dioxide (C02), few are aware of the results that this is having on the acidification of the oceans. Find out as much as you can about this problem and educate your friends. Ocean Acidification may be the most pressing issue facing the planet today. Ocean acidification is just one piece to the larger puzzle of climate change and it is a puzzle that we all need to work on together to solve.