Oceans Failing the Acid Test

The chemistry of the world's oceans is changing at a rate that hasn't been seen for 65 million years. "Environmental Consequences of Ocean Acidification" posted by the U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP) warns that some sea organisms including coral and shellfish will find it difficult to survive as acidification shrinks the minerals needed to form their skeletons. We are seeing an overall negative impact from ocean acidification on organisms and ecosystems directly that help provide food. We need to start thinking about the risk to food security. The increase of acidification is likely to affect the growth of coral reef and with ocean warming could limit the habitats of crabs, mussels and other shellfish with effects all over the food chain. Around a quarter of the world's CO2 emissions are being absorbed by the oceans, where they are turned into carbonic acid. pH levels in seas and oceans worldwide have fallen by an average of 30% since the Industrial Revolution. The report predicts that by the end of this century ocean acidity will have increased 150% if they keep rising. But at the same time acidification doesn't affect all sea creatures in the same way. We need rapid and substantial cuts to CO2 emissions as well as assessing the vulnerability of communities which rely on marine resources to stop pH levels falling further.