Triple Trouble - Ocean Under Stress
Over the coming decades and centuries, ocean health
will become increasingly stressed by at least three interacting
factors. Rising seawater temperature, ocean acidification and ocean
deoxygenation will cause substantial changes in marine physics,
chemistry and biology. These changes will affect the ocean in ways
that we are only beginning to understand.
It is imperative that international
decision-makers and stakeholders understand the enormous role the
ocean plays in sustaining life on Earth, and the consequences of a
high CO2 world for the ocean and society.
Following awareness raising of ocean
acidification at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change meetings (2009 - 2012), the international partnership* is
now highlighting its concern about the impacts of interacting
stressors and have developed an Ocean Stress
Guide.
This publication, coordinated by Plymouth
Marine Laboratory, has received support from international
organisations and programmes.
*The international partnership consists
of: