Monaco Declaration Warns of Ocean Acidification
Scientists Urge Policymakers to Take Steps Against Imminent Danger
Mar 29, 2009
In October 2008, leading scientists from around the world convened in Monaco for the Second International Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World. Like many notable scientists, Symposium participants are deeply concerned by the rapid changes in seawater chemistry as a result of ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification refers to a condition in which the seawater pH levels drop as a result of absorbing increasing amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). A mounting body of evidence suggests that these increases could lead to severe and widespread damages within decades unless immediate action is taken to decrease the rate of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
One of the outcomes of the Symposium is the Monaco Declaration, a statement signed by 155 scientists from 26 countries that urges policymakers to launch four initiatives to address ocean acidification:
- Increase research.
- Evaluate the socioeconomic impacts.
- Improve communication between scientists and policymakers.
- Cut CO2 emissions drastically.
Ocean Acidification Research
Research in this field is still in its infancy. Yet data collected over the last 25 years indicate increasing trends in ocean acidity. One study - "Dynamic patterns and ecological impacts of declining ocean pH in a high-resolution multi-year dataset" - concludes that in some coastal regions the pH is dropping 10 times faster than originally predicted. However, the scientists who conducted the study believe that more research is to better understand this drop.
According to the Monaco Declaration, ocean acidification has already altered some coastal waters to the extent that, during the spring, the water is corroding the shells of some bottom-dwelling organisms. Current projections indicate that the corrosive conditions could persist in the polar oceans throughout most of the year. However, without further research, the ability to understand the extent of such changes and their impact on marine ecosystems remains limited.
Socioeconomic Impact of Ocean Acidification
Because of the impact that ocean acidification could have on the marine food webs, commercial fish stocks might change significantly, "threatening protein supply and food security for millions of people as well as the multi-billion dollar fish industry."
Another consequence of ocean acidification is the further deterioration of coral reefs as coral calcification rates drop. Not only do reefs provide fish habitat, but they also protect shorelines, support marine biodiversity, and generate billions of dollars annually in tourism. These factors combined could have a severe socioeconomic impact on populations across the globe.
Communication between Scientists and Policymakers
Scientists are now seeing rapid shifts in the ocean chemistry, faster, in fact, than many had projected. As research in this field increases and these shifts are better understood, the need for a clear line of communication between scientists and policymakers has never been more critical.
According to the Monaco Declaration, communication must be improved so that "new policies are based on current findings and … scientific studies can be widened to include the most policy-relevant questions." Scientists believe that there is little time to waste on this issue, and policymakers must be made to understand the significance of the consequences if ocean acidification goes unchecked.
Cutting CO2 Emissions
Undoubtedly, the most important recommendation to come out of the Monaco Declaration is that CO2 emissions be cut drastically. Current CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are at 385 parts per million (ppm), up 38% from pre-industrial levels. Already the current rate of emissions is greater than projected 10 years ago. By mid-century, the CO2 concentrations could hit a rate of 800 ppm.
Current evidence suggests that coral calcification rates could decline by a third at a 560-ppm level. Even at 450 ppm, "large areas of the polar oceans will have become corrosive to shells of key marine calcifiers." In addition, despite how rapidly the oceans are becoming more acidic - more rapid than anything seen in millions of years - recovery from such an imbalance will take thousands of years.
The scientists who signed the Monaco Declaration believe that the current rate of increase in CO2 emissions (3% per year) must be reversed by 2020, just to stay below 550 ppm. However, steeper reductions are needed to protect the polar waters. If atmospheric CO2 levels cannot be controlled, the oceans will continue to grow more acidic, making severe damage imminent and the consequences devastating.
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