Impacts of ocean acidification

Ocean acidification is closely linked with climate change, sharing the same driver - increasing atmospheric CO2. However, it is a separate process from the physical environmental perturbations arising from energy flux changes in the Earth system. Ocean uptake of CO2 has reduced the extent of anthropogenic greenhouse warming; it has also increased surface ocean hydrogen ion concentration by ~30% to date, and decreased surface carbonate ion concentration by ~16%. These effects – ocean acidification – are expected to greatly intensify in the next 100 years unless strong and urgent mitigation measures are taken at the global scale

Ocean acidification is closely linked with climate change, sharing the same driver - increasing atmospheric CO2. However, it is a separate process from the physical environmental perturbations arising from energy flux changes in the Earth system. Ocean uptake of CO2has reduced the extent of anthropogenic greenhouse warming; it has also increased surface ocean hydrogen ion concentration by ~30% to date, and decreased surface carbonate ion concentration by ~16%. These effects – ocean acidification – are expected to greatly intensify in the next 100 years unless strong and urgent mitigation measures are taken at the global scale

Ocean acidification is a global scale threat but impacts will be felt at the local and regional level. It is highly likely that UK coastal waters, ecosystems and habitats will be significantly impacted this century if global CO2emissions continue to rise. The most effective way of reducing the impact of ocean acidification is the rapid and substantial reduction of CO2 emissions