World’s oceans near critical acidification level: report

World’s oceans near critical acidification level: report

Sub: Geo

Sec: Oceanography

Context:

• A new report from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) warns that the world’s oceans are on the verge of becoming too acidic to sustain marine life or stabilize the climate.

Key Findings:

• The PIK’s report highlights nine critical factors essential for regulating Earth’s ability to sustain life.
• Six of these factors have already surpassed safe limits due to human activities.
• Ocean acidification is the next factor likely to breach its threshold, potentially becoming the seventh factor to cross the danger zone.
• Safe Boundaries Already Exceeded:
  • Climate change
  • Loss of species
  • Loss of natural habitats
  • Loss of freshwater resources
  • Rising pollutants (plastics, chemical fertilizers)
• Ocean Acidification:
  • Largely driven by increasing CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas).
  • As CO2 dissolves in seawater, the oceans become more acidic.
  • Even with rapid cuts in emissions, some ongoing acidification is inevitable due to the existing CO2 already absorbed by the oceans.

Impact of Acidification on Marine Life and Climate:

• Acidic water harms Corals, Shellfish, Phytoplankton (the base of many marine food chains)
• This disruption affects:
  • Food supply for billions of people
  • The ocean’s ability to absorb CO2, worsening global warming.

Tipping Points and Global Boundaries:

• Tipping points refer to thresholds beyond which changes become irreversible and catastrophic.
  • If these points are crossed, billions of people and future generations could face devastating consequences.
• Interconnected Boundaries:
  • All nine planetary boundaries are linked, meaning that breaching one limit can destabilize Earth’s entire life support system.
• Positive Opportunities:
  • Addressing one issue, such as limiting global warming to 1.5°C, can lead to broader benefits across other environmental challenges.

Other Planetary Boundaries:

• Ozone Layer:
  • The only boundary not close to being crossed.
  • Damaged by man-made chemicals, it began to recover after these chemicals were banned in 1987.
• Air Pollution:
  • Concerns about fine particles that can cause heart and lung diseases.
  • Some improvement seen due to efforts like reducing pollutants from petrol and diesel cars, but risks remain in rapidly industrializing countries.

Source: News