by The health of the planet is at a critical point. A recent study shows that six out of nine important environmental indicators are already in the red. This includes ocean acidification, which is expected to exceed its planetary limit in the coming years.
The root of the problem lies in CO2 emissions. Not only do they contribute to global warming, the enormous amounts of CO2 released into the atmosphere also destabilize the balance of the oceans.
About a third of the CO2 produced by human activities has been absorbed by the oceans since the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Since CO2 is an acidic gas, this intake leads to ocean acidification. Ocean acidity has already increased by almost 30 percent, and unless lifestyle changes are made, predictions point to a further 150 percent increase in acidity by the year 2100.
Endangered marine life
Experts warn that acidification has serious consequences for marine ecosystems. Chemical changes in the ocean are affecting the ability of marine organisms to build their shells and skeletons, as many rely on carbonate, which becomes increasingly soluble in more acidic conditions.
This trend threatens not only large marine life, but also smaller organisms such as plankton, which form the basis of the ocean food web.
“Many microorganisms, but also larger organisms such as corals, build their shells or skeletons from carbonate,” says Wolfgang Lucht, a specialist in planetary systems at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, who is a co-author of the study.
“In a more acidic ocean, the carbonate dissolves more easily, so they have much more difficulty forming their bodies.”
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