Oceans Become More Acidic

Posted on July 21, 2006

A new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has found that the same manmade gases responsible for global warming are also helping the oceans to become more acidic. The Discovery Channel reports that the study found that the oceans have become so acidic that they "eat away the skeletons of many vital reef-building corals."

Atmospheric scientists around the world agree that the additional carbon dioxide in the air and oceans has come from exponential growth in fossil fuel burning emissions since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century.
Current carbon dioxide levels are higher than they have been for at least 650,000 years, according to ice core data from the Arctic and Antarctic.
Ocean acidity has already increased 30 percent since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century, said Richard Feely, an oceanographer at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle.
By the end of the 21st century that could go up to 150 percent, he said.
"This is not controversial," said Kleypas, referring to the current acidity levels. There's an overwhelming amount of data backing it up, she said.

The ocean data is yet more evidence that we need to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.