Posts Tagged 'socio-economy'

A holistic approach to evaluating climate vulnerability of French Polynesia pearl oyster farming: bridging communities and scientific knowledge

Published 13 March 2026 Science Leave a Comment
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Highlights

  • A holistic assessment of climate vulnerability of black pearl aquaculture social-ecological system.
  • Co-definition of adaptation strategies by scientific/institutional actors and local communities of French Polynesia.
  • A list of scientifically robust and locally relevant vulnerability criteria potentially transferable to other Pacific pearl-producing countries.
  • Interviewees consistently identify climate change as a factor that amplifies existing weaknesses in the pearl farming sector.
  • COVID-19 exposed the sector’s dependence on global markets.

Abstract

While there is wide consensus about the reliance of climate projections at global scale, there is still uncertainty about changes at finer scale and even less on the effects of such fluctuations for local economies and societies. The vulnerability of social-ecological systems (SES) to climate change is a framework that takes into account the strong link between environment and local communities that depend on ecosystem services to ensure their livelihoods. This study explores the vulnerability of pearl farming SES to climate change, combining scientific insights with local knowledge from French Polynesian communities. A preliminary list of eighty-two criteria of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity, identified through a targeted scoping review, was used to develop the interview guide that informed fifty-six face-to-face interviews and workshops conducted in 2020 and 2025. Using a combination of ranking questions and open-ended responses, the results highlight differences in the perceived exposure between scientific/institutional actors and local communities, which is reflected in the degree of sensitivity of the SES to climate drivers. Expectedly, the priorities given to adaptation measures were also different. The thematic analysis of the responses, however, shows that the two parties are aware of their own limitations in understanding the effects of climate change and recognise the need to fill mutual gaps through a collaborative production of knowledge. By integrating complementary forms of knowledge, this approach may help overcome the limitations of vulnerability assessments based exclusively on scientific expertise, and support the development of climate policies that are scientifically sound and socially accepted.

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Pathways to adaptation for shellfish aquaculture on the U.S. West Coast

Published 2 March 2026 Science Closed
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Understanding how shellfish growers adapt to environmental and socioeconomic stressors is critical for food security, especially with growing impacts from climate change. However, we know relatively little about the supporting factors that lead shellfish growers who experience stressors to make adaptive choices. Through interviews conducted with US West Coast (California and Oregon) shellfish farm owners and managers (growers), we document environmental and socioeconomic stressors that growers experience and investigate whether they can adapt, react, or cope (ARC response) to these stressors. We further identify growers’ strategies for adaptation and link these strategies to theoretical adaptive capacity domains (ie, assets, flexibility, social organization, learning, agency, and governance) using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). We found regulatory stressors were the most impactful to growers overall. These stressors caused financial burdens and time delays to operations for growers in both states. Ocean acidification and/or hypoxia (OAH) was the most frequently reported environmental stressor. Ocean acidification and/or hypoxia impacts include increased mortality and shellfish die-off events. Out of 125 responses to stressors, growers were able to adapt in just over half of stressor responses (54.4%). Agency, flexibility, learning, and social organization supported adaptation most frequently, while governance was employed the least. Growers responded with cope responses (35.2%) more frequently than react responses (10.4%). Growers combined adaptive capacity domains in various ways to adapt. For example, the adaptive capacity domain of agency was frequently employed, but almost always in combination with other adaptive capacity domains (eg, assets, governance, flexibility, and learning). This study demonstrates that US West Coast shellfish growers combine adaptive capacity domains in creative ways to form adaptive pathways and illuminates pathways to better support adaptive capacity in shellfish aquaculture.

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Ocean acidification in Canada: the current state of knowledge and pathways for action

Published 23 February 2026 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification (OA) generally receives far less consideration than other climate stressors and related hazards, such as global warming and extreme weather events. Canada is uniquely vulnerable to OA given its extensive coastal oceans, the oceanographic processes in its three basins, accelerated warming and sea-ice melt, and extensive coastal communities and maritime economic sectors. Canada’s coastline is also home to extensive and diverse First Nations peoples with distinct histories, rights, title, laws, governance and whose traditions and cultures are extrinsically linked to the sea. However, there are currently very limited pathways to support OA action, mitigation, and/or adaptation in Canada, particularly at the policy level. Here, we present a first synthesis of the current state of OA knowledge across Canada’s Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic regions, including monitoring, modelling, biological responses, socioeconomic and policy perspectives, and examples of existing OA actions and efforts at local and provincial levels. We also suggest a step-wise pathway for actions to enhance the coordinated filling of OA knowledge gaps and integration of OA knowledge into decision-making frameworks. The goals of these recommendations are to improve our ability to respond to OA in Canada, and minimize risks to coastal marine environments and ecosystems, vulnerable sectors, and communities.

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Climate change and ocean acidification pose a risk to underwater cultural heritage

Published 27 January 2026 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification caused by climate change drives a spectrum of ecological impacts on the marine environment, while also posing a lurking threat to the traces of human history lying on seabeds. We present a quantitative assessment of the climate change risk to underwater cultural heritage, focusing on the vulnerability of historical stone materials to shifting ocean pH levels. We monitored the amount and rate of stone surface material loss and textural alteration triggered by natural processes of mineral dissolution and biodeterioration in submarine settings, combining field and laboratory experimentations with climate models. Stone deterioration has been minimal in pre-industrial and present times; however, escalating anthropogenic emissions might lead to an exponential surge in vulnerability, with irreversible decay processes accelerating in the next decades and centuries, constrained by material properties and shifting biofouling dynamics. Ocean acidification will dramatically challenge the protection of underwater cultural heritage, demanding urgent preservation and adaptation policies.

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Developing indicators of risk to environmental variability based on species dependency in U.S. fishing communities in the Northeast and Southeast Regions

Published 13 January 2026 Science Closed
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Fishing communities worldwide have or are likely to experience social, economic, and cultural impacts from environmental variability. Changes in marine fisheries will require adaptation by fishing communities and fisheries managers alike. Here, Community Environmental Variability Risk Indicators (CEVRI) were developed to assess risk to environmental change for fishing communities in the U.S. Northeast and Southeast Regions based on spatial and temporal trends between 2000 and 2022. To accomplish this, we analyzed commercial landings value as it relates to species level Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) scores for species considered commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important. The CVA considers the vulnerability of species to 12 sensitivity and 12 exposure factors relating to important environmental factors within the regional context. Here, we used three sensitivity factors: Stock Size/Status, Ocean Acidification, and Temperature, as well as Total Sensitivity and Total Vulnerability. Community level scores were used to analyze intra and inter region variation, and to understand trends in community risk as revenue dependence on different species changes through time. In general, communities in the Gulf of America/Florida Keys sub-region presented lower risk to the factors analyzed than the South Atlantic sub-region and the Northeast. Ocean Acidification was the sensitivity factor with the highest levels of risk for communities. The findings of this study have important applications to inform decision-making and to help communicate environmental variability associated risks to broader audiences, thus further developing the ability of stakeholders to understand and assess cumulative impacts and complex trade-offs affecting the sustainability of marine ecosystems and resources.

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From sea to shore: the impact of ocean acidification on child health

Published 5 January 2026 Science Closed
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Since the Industrial Revolution, ocean water acidity has risen by 26% due to anthropogenic emissions—a process known as ocean acidification—posing a risk for marine life and the communities depending on it. This paper examines the consequences of ocean acidification for child health, using data from coastal regions in 36 low- and middle-income countries from 1972 to 2018, encompassing 41% of the world’s coastal population. Leveraging short-term exogenous shifts in ocean acidity near human settlements for identification, we find that prenatal exposure to higher water acidity significantly raises the risk of death in the first months of life and impacts early childhood development. We show evidence consistent with these effects being associated with maternal malnutrition, as increased acidity reduces catches for small-scale fisheries, increasing seafood prices and reducing consumption of crucial nutrients. Our findings indicate limited adaptation to these impacts. We estimate that, absent intervention, ocean acidification could contribute to as many as 77 million neonatal deaths in this region by 2100—a consequence that should not be ignored in the projected cost of climate change.

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Acidification and plastic pollution threaten Bangladesh’s blue economy

Published 2 January 2026 Media coverage Closed
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The Bay of Bengal has long been the engine of Bangladesh’s blue economy—a vast, resource-rich frontier that sustains millions of people and generates vital export earnings.

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Bangladesh’s total marine fish harvest fell to 628,622 tonnes in FY 2023–24, the lowest in nine years (Department of Fisheries – Annual Report 2024). Deep-sea trawler catches declined by 21% year-on-year (FAO), while catch per artisanal boat has dropped nearly 70% over the past two decades—from 13 tonnes in 2000 to barely 4 tonnes in 2020 (World Bank Fisheries and Aquaculture Review).

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Overfishing and IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing are well-known problems. But two largely untold reasons lie behind this steady deterioration: acidification and plastic pollution—silent yet powerful forces that destabilise the marine ecosystem.

Acidification: An invisible enemy beneath the waves

The ocean has long served as Earth’s greatest climate regulator, absorbing nearly one-third of all carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted by human activities (IPCC, 2023). While this process helps slow global warming on land, it comes at a devastating cost beneath the surface.

When CO₂ dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, lowering the ocean’s pH and disrupting marine chemistry.

In the early 1980s, Bay of Bengal surface waters averaged a pH of 8.3 (Indian Ocean Research Consortium). Today, coastal and estuarine zones measure between 7.9 and 8.0, with some readings as low as 7.73 (UNEP South Asia Marine Assessment). This 0.2–0.3 drop in pH represents nearly a 30% increase in ocean acidity over five decades (NOAA; IPCC).

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Perceptions of oyster farmers on adopting environmental monitoring technologies to mitigate ocean acidification: a case study in Bahía San Quintín, México

Published 19 November 2025 Science Closed
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Coastal ecosystems face multiple stressors, and their responses are magnified by global stressors associated with climate change, such as warming and ocean acidification (OA). Oyster farming are vulnerable to the effects of these stressors. Environmental monitoring technologies have been proposed as an adaptive strategy to OA. This study examined the perceptions of the oyster farmers in Bahía San Quintín, Mexico, toward this strategy. Through surveys and workshops, we identified the main challenges oyster farmers face in their industry, their level of awareness about OA, and their openness to adopting new technologies. Most respondents (66 %) did not recognize OA, which suggests that they had a low perception of its risks and its potential consequences for their activities. The most frequent problems were environmental issues (48 %), such as extreme temperature events, biofouling, and predation, followed by limited technical and financial resources (34 %). Recognizing the negative effect that high temperatures have on their activity, especially during El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, is a positive outcome, as it allows them to adopt strategies to cope with OA. The main barriers to adopt new technologies were related to management issues (56 %), including a lack of economic resources. We recommend that interactions between oyster producers, academia, and governmental actors must be strengthened to promote environmental monitoring, thus improving their adaptive capacity and reducing potential impacts of stressors on their industry, such as climate change and OA. This study case is a valuable reference for other oyster farming communities in similar environmental and socio-economic contexts.

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A framework for assessing global health impacts of polar change: an urgent call for interdisciplinary research

Published 18 November 2025 Science Closed
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Research on the human health risks of climate change is expanding, yet the influence of polar region shifts on these risks remains underexplored. This paper presents a framework to assess global and regional health risks stemming from polar physical changes. The polar regions are experiencing rapid environmental transformations, including melting ice, ocean warming, ocean acidification, permafrost thaw, intensifying wildfires, and alterations to jet streams, ocean currents. These changes can amplify global risks, affecting human health even in distant regions. The paper identifies potential cascading impacts on health and well-being via drivers such as extreme weather, heat stress, air, water quality, food supply, safety, vector ecology, and sea-level rise. A scoping review was conducted by an international team of public health and polar experts to support thematic categorization of regional and global health risks. The paper advocates integrating these amplified risks into health impact assessments through interdisciplinary, international collaboration to inform future policy responses.

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Ocean acidification global perspectives and India’s path forward

Published 29 October 2025 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification (OA) poses a significant global threat to marine ecosystems, fisheries, and coastal livelihoods. While several countries have established robust monitoring and mitigation strategies, many regions, including India, are still developing comprehensive responses. Given India’s heavy reliance on ocean-based resources, it is crucial to integrate OA considerations into national marine policies to safeguard biodiversity, support sustainable seafood production, and protect vulnerable coastal communities. In alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 14.3, which calls for enhanced scientific cooperation and monitoring to address OA, this review highlights key gaps in India’s current OA research and policy landscape. It proposes a strategic framework encompassing improved monitoring systems, socio-ecological impact assessments, and targeted policy interventions. By fostering a holistic and collaborative approach, the study aims to strengthen India’s OA resilience and contribute to broader global mitigation efforts.

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Japan shellfish farmer perceptions of ocean acidification, adaptive strategies and comparison with global shellfish farmers

Published 24 October 2025 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification (OA) poses significant threats to shellfish aquaculture. Although governments and organizations around the globe are taking actions to mitigate the impacts of OA, few studies directly report shellfish farmer perceptions of OA and corresponding responses. In this study, we document Japanese shellfish (oyster) commercial farmer perceptions of, and adaptive strategies for OA with respect to oyster aquaculture. We also review and compare our results with existing studies of shellfish commercial farmer perceptions of OA in three regions, including the United States (U.S.), the Mediterranean region and British Columbia, Canada. We found variation in the perceptions of OA around the globe; it is common among all shellfish farmers to have difficulty distinguishing OA from other environmental stressors. OA adaptive strategies from shellfish farmers were only reported for the U.S. (in the literature), and Japan (this study). Acknowledging the diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds, we discussed the similarity and difference of adaptive strategies between the U.S. (as a post-event case with documented OA-related shellfish mortality) and Japan (as a pre-event case) to cope with OA. For example, farmers from both countries suggest, or are already utilizing flexibility in farm management and applying knowledge through hands-on learning. While U.S. farmers rely on networking with different stakeholders to learn about OA knowledge and solutions while Japanese farmers do not. Learning from the strategies that U.S. farmers applied to adapt to OA events, several areas of policies and actions (e.g., financial support, collaboration with scientists and OA awareness enhancement) were identified to better support and empower Japanese shellfish farmers to adapt to future OA scenarios. However, future study on suitability and transferability of implementing policies and actions in Japan is required due to different geographical and cultural contexts.

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A tri-national initiative to advance understanding of coastal and ocean acidification in the Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America

Published 23 October 2025 Science Closed
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The Gulf of Mexico’s (also recognized by the United States government as the Gulf of America; herein referred to as “the Gulf”) valuable and diverse marine, coastal, and estuarine environments sustain many habitats, species, and economically important fisheries that are vulnerable to open ocean and coastal acidification (OOCA), including shellfish, coral reefs, and other carbonate reefs and seafloor. OOCA poses an economic threat to the Gulf’s economy, which is estimated to have a combined value of $2.04 trillion (US) per year across Cuba, Mexico and the United States (U.S.). Scientists from Cuba, Mexico, and the U.S. co-organized and co-hosted the first Gulf International Ocean Acidification Summit on Oct. 18-19, 2022 in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico to exchange information and begin development of a new tri-national network to address the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of OOCA in the Gulf based on common needs. The meeting included representatives from government agencies, universities, research institutes, non-governmental organizations, and was sponsored by the Furgason Fellowship of the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Discussions focused on each country’s challenges, including known and potential socioeconomic vulnerabilities and biological and ecosystem responses to OOCA. Shared priorities were identified for observational, biological, environmental needs, socioeconomic research, outreach, and communications. Priority geographic locations for the study and short and long-term monitoring of OOCA were identified based on the group’s knowledge of oceanographic conditions and vulnerable regions. Longer-term actions that will help support multinational collaborations include: identifying shared data and information platforms; standardizing chemical and biological sampling methodologies; coordinating communications with regulatory agencies and resource managers; and coordinating monitoring activities, collaborative research projects, and tri-national comparisons and synthesis of findings. We present guidance from this effort for an integrated, multinational approach to understanding the causes and consequences of OOCA in the Gulf.

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Ocean change in the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent seas: a multi-dimensional challenge for the environment, society, and economy

Published 17 October 2025 Newsletters and reports Closed
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An ocean narrative is a powerful tool for making complex ocean changes better accessible while informing decision-making and inspiring collective action. This ocean narrative reports on ocean change in the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent seas and discusses its broader implications for Europe’s environment, economy, and society. The region is experiencing warming and acidification at rates exceeding the global average, with rising sea levels and record severe marine heatwaves (MHWs). These changes threaten marine ecosystems, biodiversity, cultural heritage, and key economic sectors, such as aquaculture and coastal tourism, which rely heavily on the balance and the health of the ocean. This ocean narrative emphasizes the importance of regional ocean indicators for the northeastern Atlantic and adjacent seas and underscores the importance of localized responses, as ocean changes affect regions differently, particularly in semi-enclosed seas such as the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. The findings stress the urgency of timely action and the need to strengthen evidence-based and strategic ocean knowledge transfer at the science and policy interface for informed decision-making that balances environmental sustainability, economic resilience, and social inclusivity to address the growing challenges of ocean change in the northeastern Atlantic and its adjacent seas.

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New Jersey ocean acidification action plan

Published 3 October 2025 Science Closed
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The NJDEP created an Ocean Acidification Action Plan  to address ocean and coastal acidification. Left unchecked, this global issue will negatively impact the balance of the ecosystem as well as the state’s fish and shellfish industries. Shellfish are particularly vulnerable through the impacts of acidification on shell formation.

The New Jersey Ocean Acidification Action Plan identifies steps that the NJDEP has already taken that can help mitigate ocean and coastal acidification and outlines the Department’s next steps to better understand the current conditions and prepare for additional impacts of ocean and coastal acidification.

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National Coral Reef Monitoring Program socioeconomic monitoring component: summary findings for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 2024

Published 26 September 2025 Newsletters and reports Closed
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The Socioeconomic Component of the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) collects socioeconomic data across all United States (U.S.) coral reef territories and jurisdictions to inform human dimensions indicators. These indicators fall under the broad categories of population demographics, human use of coral reef resources, and knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of coral reefs and coral reef management. The overall goal of this endeavor is to understand the status and trends of each jurisdiction’s population, social and economic structure, interactions with coral reef resources, and responses to local coral reef management. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) uses this information to help address coral reef issues at local, regional, and national levels, as well as to inform continuing research and communication products. NOAA CRCP staff, along with educators and managers in the jurisdictions, use this information to monitor changes in coral reef–dependent communities and jurisdictions and ensure outreach programs are designed to achieve their goals.

This report presents primary data collected for the second socioeconomic monitoring cycle in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) (the first monitoring cycle was completed in 2016). The household survey was conducted in person from February to March 2024. Results are representative of the CNMI resident population as a whole and island strata of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. Key highlights from the results include:

  • Activity Participation: Over 70% of CNMI residents participated in beach recreation and swimming/wading in both 2016 and 2024, and participation in most activities increased from 2016 to 2024.
  • Seafood: Nearly all (98%) residents consumed seafood in at least some of their meals on average, and 84% of those residents ate seafood from local coral reefs.
  • Importance of Coral Reefs: Over 80% of residents believed that CNMI’s coral reefs were extremely important for coastal protection, food, and human health. Two-thirds of residents also believed that coral reefs were important for cultural events (such as fiestas and ceremonies) and for establishing or maintaining social relationships and family ties.
  • Perceived Resource Conditions: At least 50% of residents believed ocean water quality and the amount of fish in CNMI were good, but residents were generally split on whether these conditions will worsen or improve over the next 10 years.
  • Threats to Coral Reefs: Residents were generally more familiar with a variety of threats to coral reefs in 2024 than they were in 2016. In 2024, the highest increase in familiarity was with coral bleaching. Between 46-49% identified coral bleaching, marine litter, pollution, and ocean acidification as severe threats to coral reefs.
  • Support for Management Strategies: At least 80% of residents supported active coral reef restoration, community participation in marine resource management, new requirements for improved wastewater treatment, and increased restrictions on coastal construction practices to prevent soil and stormwater runoff. From 2016 to 2024, support level for various management strategies generally decreased but was still high overall.
  • Marine Protected Areas: The majority of residents were aware of existing marine protected areas (MPAs) or marine preserves in CNMI. Over 70% of residents believed that MPAs have led to improved coral reef protection, and 64% believed that MPAs have improved the amount and size of fish. Perceptions of most MPA impacts were more negative in 2024 than they were in 2016, but residents were more likely to perceive positive impacts to fishermen livelihoods than in 2016.
  • Conservation Behaviors: Over 80% of residents believed that it was extremely important for CNMI residents to engage in activities that help protect coral reefs. Most residents generally engaged in routine conservation-oriented behaviors such as reducing household electricity or water use or using fewer single-use plastics. Less than 50% of residents had taken longer-term actions such as maintaining or upgrading septic or sewer systems. Commonly stated barriers to action were lack of opportunity, lack of knowledge, and lack of permission.
  • Awareness of Coral Reef Rules and Regulations: Nearly 90% of residents believed it was unacceptable to leave trash on the beach, and 60% believed it was unacceptable to anchor a boat on coral or remove coastal vegetation. Opinions were mixed about the acceptability of touching corals, operating a boat in shallow reef areas, having fires on the beach, and feeding fish, birds, or mammals, suggesting a potential need for more outreach to improve compliance through increased awareness of rules and regulations.
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Ocean acidification, iodine bioavailability, and cardiovascular health: a review of possible emerging risks

Published 16 September 2025 Science Closed
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Anthropogenic climate change drives ocean acidification, which alters marine iodine cycling and increases bioaccumulation in marine ecosystems. This environmental shift elevates dietary and atmospheric iodine exposure, particularly in coastal populations, posing risks for thyroid dysfunction and downstream cardiovascular complications. Acidification enhances iodine uptake in marine species, such as kelp and seafood, thereby amplifying human intake. Chronic iodine excess can induce hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, both linked to cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and atherosclerosis. This narrative review synthesizes the mechanistic pathways connecting ocean acidification, iodine bioavailability, thyroid dysfunction, and cardiovascular health. We emphasize the need for proactive clinical screening, dietary interventions, environmental monitoring, international collaboration, and inter-disciplinary research to address this climate-sensitive public health challenge. Coastal communities, reliant on marine diets, require targeted strategies to mitigate these emerging risks.

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Identifying and reducing climate uncertainty in fisheries management reference points

Published 15 September 2025 Science Closed
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Modelling has predicted that reductions in ocean pH and increases in temperature will reduce vital rates (survival and growth) of North Pacific crab stocks and hence the target levels of fishing mortality consistent with sustainable harvesting. However, these predictions have been based on the best estimates of the effects of changes in ocean pH and temperature on vital rates from laboratory experiments. We quantified the effects of several climate and market sources of variability in Alaskan red king and southern Tanner crab fisheries on predicted optimal fishing mortality rates, including changes in ocean chemistry and temperature on vital rates, non-linear relationships between prices, costs and catch, and the uncertainty in population dynamics models. The declines in survival consistently lead to predictions of a reduction in productivity and hence the optimal level of fishing intensity over time, but the extent of change is uncertain. Uncertainty related to the effects of ocean pH and temperature on vital rates and variability among Earth System Models and future emission scenarios are the dominant sources of uncertainty, although potential fluctuations in prices and costs are also consequential. Further, simulations are used to explore the relationship between changes in ocean pH or temperature and vital rates (additional experimental replicates and a wider range of levels of ocean pH in experiments) and hence identify approaches to reduce the uncertainty in estimates of future projections of target fishing mortality rates. Importantly, we demonstrate that optimal approaches to reducing uncertainty depend on life stage (juvenile growth for red king crab and larval survival for southern Tanner crab), and the optimal experiment depends on species (increasing the range of pH levels for red king crab vs increasing sample sizes for southern Tanner crab). The results of this study can inform priorities for future ocean acidification-related laboratory experiments and provide a basis for evaluating “investment in research” more broadly.

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Revisiting wastewater pH standards: a policy lever for mitigating coastal acidification and enhancing blue carbon

Published 25 June 2025 Science Closed
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Global ocean acidification driven by atmospheric CO2 uptake is well recognized; however, coastal zones are subject to additional, localized acidification pressures. Among these, the chronic discharge of low pH treated wastewater (often pH 6.0), permitted under many current regulations, represents a significant but often overlooked stressor. This practice introduces highly acidic loads into sensitive nearshore ecosystems that are chemically incompatible with ambient seawater (pH ∼8.1). This perspective argues for reframing effluent pH not only as a pollutant parameter to be bounded but also as a modifiable policy lever. Revising discharge standards to require a minimum effluent pH > 8.0 for marine outfalls offers a novel pathway to mitigate localized coastal acidification. Furthermore, this approach aligns with emerging ocean alkalinity enhancement strategies, potentially enhancing coastal carbon sequestration and offering cobenefits such as reduced metal toxicity. Such a policy shift necessitates technological adaptation but promises significant benefits for coastal resilience and broader ocean sustainability goals.

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Ocean acidification: another planetary boundary crossed

Published 20 June 2025 Science Closed
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Ocean acidification has been identified in the Planetary Boundary Framework as a planetary process approaching a boundary that could lead to unacceptable environmental change. Using revised estimates of pre-industrial aragonite saturation state, state-of-the-art data-model products, including uncertainties and assessing impact on ecological indicators, we improve upon the ocean acidification planetary boundary assessment and demonstrate that by 2020, the average global ocean conditions had already crossed into the uncertainty range of the ocean acidification boundary. This analysis was further extended to the subsurface ocean, revealing that up to 60% of the global subsurface ocean (down to 200 m) had crossed that boundary, compared to over 40% of the global surface ocean. These changes result in significant declines in suitable habitats for important calcifying species, including 43% reduction in habitat for tropical and subtropical coral reefs, up to 61% for polar pteropods, and 13% for coastal bivalves. By including these additional considerations, we suggest a revised boundary of 10% reduction from pre-industrial conditions more adequately prevents risk to marine ecosystems and their services; a benchmark which was surpassed by year 2000 across the entire surface ocean.

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Navigating ocean acidification in shellfish aquaculture: stakeholder perspectives of developing strategies in the U.S. Pacific region

Published 23 May 2025 Science Closed
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Highlights

  • Aquaculture ocean acidification threat perceptions declined over the last decade.
  • Shellfish industry interviews can guide adaptive strategy co-production.
  • Native species portfolio diversification met more skepticism than parental priming.
  • Enhanced environmental monitoring is a high research priority across respondents

Abstract

The marine shellfish aquaculture industry across the U.S. Pacific region faces escalating ocean acidification and its associated challenges. This study examines industry participant perceptions and experiences regarding ocean acidification, additional threats, and future research needs, finding a notable decrease in perceived concern regarding ocean acidification over the past decade. Through structured interviews, broad industry perspectives are explored regarding current practices and two specific ocean acidification adaptation strategies under development: parental priming and native species portfolio expansion. While parental priming garnered cautious support contingent on scientific validation, perceptions of native species expansion were polarized, driven by skepticism about regulatory barriers, economic viability, and scalability. Enhanced environmental monitoring emerged as the most widely supported adaptation measure, underscoring its importance in addressing multiple stressors in addition to ocean acidification. By considering industry and operation characteristics while examining potential decision-making biases, this study provides unique insights for co-producing relevant adaptation strategies. Additionally, the critical role of collaboration between stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers in fostering resilience is emphasized.

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