To ensure world leaders have access to the best available information at this year’s Conference of Parties in Paris, more than 20 international marine scientists worked together to synthesize the best available research on our changing ocean.

Their paper, published in July in Science magazine, considers two potential scenarios: serious emissions cuts, and business as usual. They concluded that we need to immediately reduce CO2 emissions in order to prevent massive changes to the ocean. The longer we wait to act, the more difficult and costly it will be manage ocean acidification.

Following is a quote from Sarah Cooley, PhD, Ocean Conservancy’s Science Outreach Manager, and co-author of the Science paper.

“The ocean provides food, oxygen, and jobs for people around the world. It also helps to regulate our climate. Studies show that the ocean has absorbed half of all the carbon emitted since the Industrial Revolution. But it is reaching a saturation point. Seawater along our shores is becoming increasingly acidic, making it hard for some marine animals to build their shells. That impacts everything from whales to seabirds to shellfish farmers.

Here in the United States, we are seeing leaders from states on both coasts and the federal government stepping up to meet this challenge. New monitoring programs and efforts to cut emissions will slow the progress of ocean acidification and help the most vulnerable communities prepare. But local action is not enough – to truly address acidification, we need global action. We are pleased to see so many nations committing to emissions reductions ahead of COP21, and hope to see the momentum continue as world leaders gather in Paris.”

Background:

Monitoring and managing ocean acidification is an area that has bridged partisan divides. From the Pacific Northwest to Florida, Maine to Maryland, states on both U.S. coasts are working to tackle ocean acidification, and help impacted rural, coastal businesses and communities adapt in the face of a changing ocean.  The U.S. is not alone in working to address the problem. Over one hundred nations have submitted plans to reduce carbon emissions ahead of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP 21) meeting.

Ocean acidification occurs when carbon absorbed from the atmosphere changes ocean chemistry, creating more corrosive waters that make it difficult for corals, plankton and shellfish to build their shells. Scientists warn that the ocean is at a tipping point—immediate action is needed to prevent massive and mostly irreversible changes to the food web that will ripple all the way up to coastal communities and businesses. That is why the eyes of the world will be on COP21.

*Note:  Dr. Sarah Cooley is available for interviews upon request. 

Ocean Conservancy’s Vision:

Our vision is a healthy ocean that sustains life on our planet. We envision a world where we all work together to keep the ocean and our coastal communities healthy and prosperous.

Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit www.oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.