The Oceanic Impacts of Climate Change
Our oceans are an enigma that cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface. As a previously overlooked aspect of climate change, we are starting to understand how our climate and ocean systems interact. In fact, we understand now that the ocean can absorb approximately one-third of anthropogenic carbon dioxide, altering climatic patterns worldwide. Some of these effects of climate change on the ocean are explained below.
Increased ocean heat and surface temperature.
The ocean absorbs a large amount of solar energy that comes from the sun, exacerbated by the greenhouse effect. This reduces the amount of heat energy that escapes the Earth's atmosphere, meaning that ocean temperatures are predicted to increase by up to 4 degrees Celsius. Water expands with heat, resulting in sea-level rise and changing water density. Ocean currents change, resulting in changing climate patterns like increased precipitation and extreme weather. Marine ecosystems, which are home to some of the most diverse habitats in the world, are threatened by changing currents, increased heat content, and changing nutrient cycles.
Ocean Acidification
Another threat to marine ecosystems is acidic waters. The ocean absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide, resulting in a chain of chemical reactions that increase the carbonic acid in oceans. This prevents the production of calcium carbonate, a substance that seashells and corals depend on to grow and thrive, essentially bleaching and destroying them. Coral reefs globally are experiencing the highest rates of habitat destruction and are also susceptible to coral bleaching because of rising water temperatures. This threatens our marine biodiversity and can even result in declining fish populations in parts of the world.
Sea Level Rise
As mentioned above, sea level rise is caused by increasing water temperature, but it is also caused by melting ice caps. The effects of rising sea levels across the globe will result in salt and sediment contamination of our scarce freshwater resources. Coastal cities and infrastructure will be more susceptible to flooding and damage as well, risking drain infrastructure, and affecting human habitats. In some extreme cases, it can even result in mass-emigrating cities worldwide.
Opportunities for carbon capture
Despite these interconnected challenges, our oceans are also an opportunity for solutions. The ocean is one of the largest carbon sinks, meaning that we can leverage photosynthesis for carbon capture. Restoring coastal ecosystems like marshes and mangroves can help increase the carbon stored in coastal sediments and marine flora. Many are even taking a chemical approach, by adding silicate and carbonate minerals to coastal areas to balance the acidity of the water.
Renewable Energy
The oceans are also an important opportunity for renewable energy development. Off-shore wind farms are becoming a popular project for nations all over the globe, as many are finding the renewable energy alternative a viable and efficient way to produce energy for our growing demands. Tidal power is another area of growth in the renewable energy field, created by harnessing the energy of waves to generate electricity.
Our oceans are a force of mother nature -- although threatened by our carbon activity, they are simultaneously supporting climate change solutions. It is ultimately up to us to continue finding such solutions that leverage our oceans to save and protect them. With carbon being the culprit for the harm done thus far, RyeStrategy firmly believes carbon neutrality efforts are key in reducing global warming to rightfully sustain our oceans and natural Earth.
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About RyeStrategy
Based in Seattle, RyeStrategy is a CDP-accredited, mission-oriented company specialized in carbon accounting, mitigation coaching, and climate disclosure solutions for organizations at any point in their sustainability journey. Learn how RyeStrategy helped Salesforce, Ideascale, and Wazoku achieve their sustainability goals.
From exhaustive carbon footprinting and mitigation coaching, to setting science-based targets and reporting climate data to CDP, SBTi or custom reporting platforms, RyeStrategy acts as a hands-on extension of the team, custom-tailoring services to fulfill climate disclosure requirements easily and accurately.
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