Ocean acidification is an alarming phenomenon that threatens our marine ecosystem and climate. According to a recent report from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the world’s oceans are on the verge of becoming too acidic to support marine life and help stabilize the climate. The study highlights nine critical factors that regulate the planet’s ability to support life, and reveals that six of these safe limits have already been exceeded due to human activity.
One of the critical thresholds about to be crossed is ocean acidification, making it the seventh area to be compromised, according to PIK’s first Planetary Health Check. This increasing acidification is largely driven by carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas. This increased absorption of CO2 by the oceans leads to an increase in their acidity, which has devastating consequences for corals, shellfish and phytoplankton, disrupting marine food chains and limiting the capacity of the oceans to absorb more CO2 to mitigate global warming.
The report also highlights other critical boundaries that are already being exceeded, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, the use of polluting chemicals and the rise of plastic waste. These findings show that humanity faces an uncertain future if decisive action is not taken to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and adopt more sustainable practices to preserve our planet.
PIK researchers warn against crossing all nine planetary boundaries, stressing that these thresholds are interconnected and that exceeding any one of them could destabilize the entire Earth’s life system. However, they also highlight that targeted actions to address these issues could have a significant positive impact on a variety of issues, including preserving marine life, limiting global warming, and protecting human health.
In the face of these challenges, it is imperative that governments, businesses, and individuals take immediate action to reduce our carbon footprint, protect our oceans, and maintain a sustainable balance with nature. Maintaining ocean health is not only crucial for the well-being of marine ecosystems, but also for our own survival and that of future generations.