The researchers identified 6 aspects of an effective ocean acidification policy, each with specific indicators that government policy-making bodies can use to assess and direct their policies.
An international research team, led by the California Academy of Sciences, has proposed an innovative framework for governments around the world to assess their readiness to confront ocean acidification, which is considered one of the most serious threats to marine ecosystems. This phenomenon is expected to cause widespread destruction of marine environments by the end of this decade. If we do not take urgent action to address it.
The researchers, who published a paper incorporating the proposed framework in the journal Environmental Research Letters, believe their framework will help countries establish a baseline for assessing their preparedness for ocean acidification, empowering scientists, conservationists and governing bodies at all levels. To identify areas of investment or cooperation in order to better protect their environments and communities.
How do oceans acidify?
The press release from the California Academy of Sciences says that ocean acidification is a process that occurs when the pH of seawater decreases, because it absorbs from the atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO2), released by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and other industrial processes, as it dissolves A large part of the excess carbon dioxide is in the oceans.
When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, which then breaks down into bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions. This increase in hydrogen ions leads to a decrease in the pH of seawater, which makes ocean water more acidic.
This process also reduces the availability of carbon ions, which are essential building blocks for many marine organisms, such as corals, oysters and some types of plankton, that make up their shells and skeletons.
the silent killer
According to the press release, the phenomenon of ocean acidification has serious consequences for marine ecosystems, as it negatively affects the growth, reproduction and survival of many marine species, disrupts food webs for marine organisms, and affects the biodiversity of ocean habitats.
Moreover, ocean acidification has social and economic implications, as it threatens the livelihoods of communities that depend on marine resources for food, tourism and other economic activities.
"Ocean acidification is one of the silent killers of marine systems caused by climate change," said lead researcher Dr. Rebecca Albright. "Although ocean acidification is not as prominent as coral bleaching, it is one of the most significant threats to the global marine environment." It will lead to widespread destruction of marine environments by the end of this decade if we do not take urgent action to address the problems it causes."
Proposals to address ocean acidification
In order to face the dangers of ocean acidification, and to develop preparations to confront them, the scientific team sought to determine the measures that governments should take to develop comprehensive plans to protect the environment and society.
According to the statement from the California Academy of Sciences, the researchers identified 6 aspects of an effective policy to prepare for ocean acidification, each of which has specific indicators that government policy-making bodies can use to evaluate and direct their policies.
Those six aspects of effective policy, which the researchers identified in their study, include:
- Climate protection measures: which require appropriate policies to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions that lead to ocean acidification.
- Ocean acidification literacy: It means spreading public awareness and understanding of the threats posed by ocean acidification.
- Area-based management: This includes the development of marine protected area protection plans and management plans with clear strategies for measuring and increasing resilience to ocean acidification.
- Research and development: Research dedicated to understanding and addressing ocean acidification and investing money.
- Adaptive capacity of dependent sectors: an understanding of impacts on political, social and economic sectors, including communities at risk, as well as mitigation strategies.
- Policy coherence with evidence-based and science-backed efforts to address climate and ocean change.
Application to Australia
On the other hand, the researchers applied these six aspects to the state of the marine environment in Australia, and assessed its preparedness to confront ocean acidification. The choice to apply these policies to Australia's marine environment comes as it is home to the world's largest coral reef system, vibrant ecosystems that support the livelihoods of more than a billion people worldwide, but are uniquely vulnerable to ocean acidification.
In this context, the researchers found that although Australia possesses a deep understanding of the adaptive capacity of vulnerable social and economic sectors and management strategies that address ocean acidification, it lacks policy coherence and broader climate protection measures, which may hinder its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. , a major contributor to ocean acidification.
