Strategic Workshop on the “Impacts of Ocean Acidification”
Meloneras, Gran Canaria (ES), 28-30 Jan. 2008
Global change is evidenced mainly through the temperature increase observed since the pre-industrial period. It also encompasses other changes, such as perturbations in the biogeochemical cycles of the major (C, O, N, P) and minor (micro-nutrients) elements, in the ecosystem structure and dynamics (e.g., biodiversity loss), or in the related marine resources and services upon which human societies largely depend (e.g., energy, water, land use, fisheries).
However, one component rather neglected until recently is the Ocean Acidification, which relates to the anthropogenic increase in atmospheric CO2 content. It is now under intense scrutiny as it has recently reached some critical thresholds while its impacts on biological, biogeochemical, ecological, economic, social and climatic processes are often not well known or completely unknown, but are expected to be fast emerging and drastic.
Following the approval by the LESC Standing Committee to support a proposal submitted in early fall 2007 by Prof. Jelle Bijma, a strategic workshop has been recently organised, with co-sponsorship by the EUROCORES Programme EuroCLIMATE, to address the issue of the Impacts of Ocean Acidification. The main objectives of this strategic workshop were set as follows:
– Drafting a science policy briefing;
– Drafting a proposal for a new science programme (EUROCORES Theme proposal for 2008).
More info: web site.
