UN-SDG 14: Life Below Water

To truly understand the complexities of ocean acidification, it’s essential to delve into its underlying chemical mechanisms. When seawater absorbs atmospheric CO2, a gas that is being emitted at alarming rates due to human activities, it triggers a cascade of chemical reactions that ultimately increase hydrogen ion concentration and subsequently lower the water’s pH, making it more acidic.12 This intricate chemical process simultaneously reduces carbonate ion availability, a critical building block. This reduction proves particularly devastating for shell-building organisms such as oysters, clams, and mussels, which rely on these carbonate ions for survival and the development of their protective shells.34 ...

A recent study published in Nature has raised concerns about the current state of Earth’s climate system. The research suggests that the “safe and just” climate boundary has already been breached, with global average temperatures surpassing the 1°C threshold above pre-industrial levels.1 This finding is particularly significant in the context of the Paris Agreement’s goal to limit warming to 1.5°C, as it indicates that we are dangerously close to exceeding this critical limit. ...