Climate of Our Future

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The oceans play an important role in regulating the Earth’s temperature. As the levels of carbon dioxide and heat rise in the atmosphere so do their levels in the oceans. Since the industrial revolution we have added some 300 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and the oceans have absorbed about half of that amount. The oceans have also absorbed 80% of the heat that has been added to the atmosphere. Without the oceans, global warming would be far worse than it already is. Unfortunately, the oceans are being overwhelmed by the massive amounts of carbon dioxide they are absorbing. As the oceans become “full” of carbon dioxide, the rate at which they can continue to absorb CO₂ slows, resulting in more carbon dioxide remaining in the atmosphere, affecting the climate.

Recently it was found that the Southern Ocean, the most important “carbon sink” of all the oceans, has greatly slowed its uptake of carbon dioxide because of climate change. The absorption of heat and carbon dioxide by the oceans is currently slowing the effects of global warming; however, the oceans are becoming overburdened and may not be able to perform this function for much longer.

The absorption of large amounts of carbon dioxide and heat are causing significant changes in the oceans, changes that will be devastating for the oceans as well as the wildlife and humans that depend on them. Carbon dioxide is changing the very chemistry of the oceans, causing them to become more acidic and jeopardizing the future of coral reefs and organisms that produce shells. The oceans are also warming, thus increasing the intensity of storms, causing sea levels to rise, and disrupting ecosystems and ocean circulation.

Acidification: Increasing amounts of carbon dioxide absorbed by the oceans are changing their chemistry and making them more acidic. This will be catastrophic for coral reefs and shell-producing animals as they will have difficulty producing their skeletons and shells. Skeletons of coral and shells of animals like sea snails and oysters may even start to dissolve if conditions become acidic enough.

Sea Level Rise: By 2080 experts predict that millions of people will be flooded every year and hundreds of millions more displaced by rising seas.

Disrupted Food Webs: Slowing of the ocean conveyor belt may result in changing climates and disruption of marine food webs.

Depleted Ecosystems: Because of global warming marine ecosystems are likely to change and may become diminished or depleted.

Harsher Storms: Warmer sea surface temperatures are likely to be increasing the intensity of hurricanes and the subsequent damage and destruction they cause.