A recent review from The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the Stockholm Resilience Centre raises serious alarm bells about ocean acidification. It reveals that we have crossed a critical threshold that endangers vital marine ecosystems.
The report, titled “Planetary Health Check 2025,” states that ocean acidity has surged by 30-40% since the pre-industrial era. This affects not just coral reefs but also fisheries and even the oxygen we breathe. That alarming trend puts seven out of nine planetary boundaries in the danger zone, with only the ozone layer and air pollution remaining safe.
Marine life is already feeling the effects. For instance, small sea snails called pteropods, crucial to many ocean species, are showing signs of shell damage due to increasingly acidic waters. “This acidification largely stems from fossil fuel emissions,” notes Albert Norström, a researcher at the Stockholm Resilience Centre. The consequences could ripple through ecosystems and impact food security and human well-being.
Also concerning is the latest EU Copernicus Ocean State Report, which finds that the Baltic Sea is heating up faster than nearly any other body of water, second only to the Black Sea. This warming leads to harmful algal blooms and reduced oxygen levels, worsening fishing conditions and increasing severe weather events like the torrential rains that damaged infrastructure in Sweden.
Experts predict that without immediate action, we could face even graver consequences. A forecast from EarthChart suggests that global temperatures may rise by 2.5°C as early as 2050 if carbon emissions are not curtailed dramatically. The World Meteorological Organization estimates a 70% chance that we will exceed the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement between 2025 and 2029.
Leading researchers emphasize the interconnected nature of our ecosystems. Niklas Boers from the Potsdam Institute warns that as we approach tipping points in the Earth’s systems—like the melting Greenland ice sheet and altered Gulf Stream—small increases in temperature could lead to irreversible changes.
This situation asks us to rethink our relationship with the planet. The ongoing climate crisis calls for unified action and an urgent shift toward sustainable practices that prioritize our environment and future.
For more information about the impact of climate change and ocean acidification, you can refer to the World Meteorological Organization and the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
