Geography 2050 (2020) The 10 Greatest Challenges Facing the World Ocean

Summary

The session discusses the top 10 challenges facing the world ocean, including acidification, warming, sea level rise, and more. Ocean acidification, caused by increased CO2 levels, threatens marine life.

Highlights

🌊 Ocean acidification: Rising CO2 levels lead to decreased pH in seawater, endangering marine ecosystems.

📈 Acidification process: Combustion engines release CO2, which lowers seawater pH, demonstrated through a laboratory experiment.

📉 Scale of the issue: CO2 concentration has risen, causing a drop in ocean pH, with projections indicating further decline by 2100.

🌍 Global impact: Ocean acidification affects marine organisms and ecosystems worldwide, disrupting food chains and habitats.

🐟 Ecological consequences: Acidification threatens species like pteropods, impacting marine food webs, including species like salmon.

💡 Individual actions: Supporting marine research and advocating for environmental policies are crucial steps in addressing ocean acidification.