a news stream provided by the Ocean Acidification International Coordination Center (OA-ICC)
The on-going rise of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is not only changing our climate; it is also changing our oceans. More than a quarter of the CO2 released to the air by human activities is absorbed by the world’s oceans.
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NIWA. Resource.
The European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA) was Europe’s first major research initiative and the first large-scale international research effort devoted to studying the impacts and consequences of ocean acidification. EPOCA was an EU FP7 Integrated Project active during four years, from 2008 to 2012.
The EPOCA consortium brought together more than 160 researchers from 32 institutes in 10 European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) and was coordinated by the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) with the project office based at the Institut de la Mer de Villefranche, France (formerly Observatoire Oceanologique de Villefranche).
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EPOCA, 1 July 2021. Resource.
As one of the largest national research programmes on ocean acidification, BIOACID has contributed to quantifying the effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms and their habitats, unravelling the mechanisms underlying the observed responses, assessing the potential for evolutionary adaptation, and determining how these responses are modulated by other environmental drivers.
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BIOACID. Resource.
What can we do to save Timmy the Turtle and his friends? A closer look on the causes and future challenges of ocean acidification.
The animation was produced by students at the University of the West of England, supported by Falmouth University and the Shark and Coral Conservation Trust with PML providing scientific guidance.
Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), 17 June 2014. Resource.
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A page on FAQ on ocean acidification from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego; which is one of the most important centers for global earth science research and education in the world. Scripps scientists work to understand and protect the planet by investigating our oceans, Earth, and atmosphere to find solutions to our greatest environmental challenges. Scripps leads research in climate change impacts and adaptation, resilience to hazards, conservation and biodiversity, oceans and human health, national security, and innovative technology to observe the planet.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography – UC San Diego. Resource.
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By absorbing CO2, the ocean is becoming more acidic, and this happens at a rate faster than during any other period in the past 300 million years.
Air Pollution and Climate Secretariat (AirClim), 1 March 2018. Resource.
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A powerful short film on ocean acidification: connecting science, industry, policy and public.
The film brings together a wide range of stakeholders including, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, school children, a Plymouth fishmonger, a UK government Chief Scientific Adviser, representatives from industry and policy making departments, as well as a group of internationally recognised expert scientists.
Produced by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory.
MarineBio Conservation Society, 12 July 2011. Resource.
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MEDDLE provides learning material and experimental design tools to help you create accurate and statistically meaningful single and multi driver experiments. The aim is to provide guidance in supporting best practices for oceanic research.
A handbook is the central link between the three strands of MEDDLE: a web-based decision support tool to get started with experimental design; next the Multiple Environmental Driver Design Lab for Experiments (MEDDLE) simulation software, and a library of video tutorials. We recommend that you download this Handbook before exploring these strands.
Scientific Committee on Ocean Research. Resource.
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Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels. Target 3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goal Life below Water.
Air Pollution & Climate Secretariat (AirClim). Resource.
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Never before have so many scientists conducted research on what impacts the declining pH value of seawater has on animals and plants in the ocean. Please find a summary of their major research results from the past years here.
Alfred-Wegener-Institut (AWI). Resource.
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Oceans—and their salt-water extensions, like Puget Sound—play an enormous role in our region’s culture and prosperity. Marine life, from oysters to king crab, have supported Northwest communities for generations. But years of addiction to fossil fuels have put them at risk. This series explores the local costs of ocean acidification, the process by which water absorbs too much carbon pollution, becoming more corrosive. These changes in our water’s basic chemistry place our complex web of marine life in jeopardy.
Sightline Institute, 2011-2012. Resource.
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General article explaining ocean acidification.
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Wikipedia, 1 March 2021. Resource.
The European Marine Board (EMB) is the leading European think tank in marine science policy. It provides a platform to advance marine research and to bridge the gap between science and policy.
The European Marine Board is a unique strategic pan-European Forum for seas and ocean research and technology. We provide a strategic forum to develop marine research foresight, initiate state-of-the-art analyses and translate these into clear policy recommendations to European institutions as well as national governments.
As an independent, self-sustaining, non-governmental advisory body, the European Marine Board transfers knowledge between the scientific community and decision makers, promoting Europe’s leadership in marine research and technology.
European Marine Board (EMB). Resource.
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This Oceanography issue has special features on ocean acidification
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Oceanography Society, 1 December 2009. Resource.
This page contains an educatinal material on ocean acidification
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NOAA, 1 April 2020. Resource.
Oceanography is the official magazine of the Oceanography Society. It contains peer-reviewed articles that chronicle all aspects of ocean science and its applications .
Oceanography. Resource.
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Ocean acidification is a result of chemical reactions that take place when the global ocean absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Earth’s atmosphere.
University of Otago. Resource.
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About a third of the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by human activities has already been absorbed by the ocean since the beginning of the industrial revolution. This contributes to attenuate the effects of global warming. Without this process, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere would have been much greater than that observed today. The effects on the climate would be multiplied.
Part of atmospheric CO2 dissolves at the surface of the ocean. Once in the water, it can subsequently be found in different forms, including carbonic acid. This chemical reaction is the cause of the changes in chemical equilibrium of sea water. The result is, firstly, an increase in hydrogen ions, causing acidification and, secondly, a decrease in carbonate ions. The latter are essential elements for the construction of skeletons and other calcareous structures in marine plants and animals.
“Ocean acidification” is defined by a decrease in pH, which is the unit of measurement of the acidity of a liquid. Acidification has increased by 26% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (1800). However, certain prediction models expect a 150% increase in acidity by 2100. The current rate of ocean acidification is ten times faster than it ever was at any other period during the preceding 55 million years.
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Ocean & Climate Platform (OCP). Resource.
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The ocean absorbs a significant portion of our carbon dioxide emissions, which is changing the chemistry of the ocean at an unprecedented rate. About one third of all emissions in the past 200 years have been absorbed by the ocean, causing an average pH decrease of ocean surface waters by about 0.1 unit – from 8.2 to 8.1. This change has already caused short-term, local impacts on ocean flora and fauna. The ultimate, long-term consequences of an increasingly acidic ocean may be unknown, but the potential risks are high. Ocean acidification is a growing problem as anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions continue to change the atmosphere and climate. It is estimated that by the end of the century, there will be an additional drop of 0.2–0.3 units.
On our Ocean Acidification Initiative page you can learn about the work we are doing to research and understand OA in order to mitigate its effects. Here we have compiled some of the best resources on this topic.
The Ocean Foundation. Resource.
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GOOS is a programme executed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UNESCO, but its success relies on the coordinated contributions of several people and organizations worldwide.
The GOOS governance model is divided in three tiers: a multinational Steering Committee to provide oversight, scientific Expert Panels to guide system requirements, and Observation Coordination Groups that implement global unified network execution. The GOOS Project Office facilitates the collaboration between these different governance bodies.
The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). Resource.
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