Acid Test: Can We Save Our Oceans from CO2? | Oceana

Report | October, 2010

Acid Test: Can We Save Our Oceans from CO2?

 

This report documents increasing carbon dioxide levels in the oceans as a result of carbon dioxide releases to the atmosphere. This leads to an increase in the acidity levels of ocean waters. The process, which is known as ocean acidification, reduces the ability of marine animals like corals, crabs, lobsters, clams and oysters to create calcium carbonate skeletons and shells.

This will likely reduce their survival rates and their ability to mature and reproduce. Such a decline and widespread death of coral reefs will cost society billions of dollars annually in lost fishing and tourism revenue and will jeopardize the coastal protection services that coral reefs otherwise provide.