Guardian

'Ticking timebomb': sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – study

The scientists warning the world about ocean acidification – ‘evil twin’ of the climate crisis

Metaculus

Prince William says ocean conservation is a challenge like no other ahead of U.N. summit

Bill Gates

António Guterres

Michael Mann

Greta Thunberg

Simon Stiell

Jim Skea

World Meteorological Organization

Myles Allen

Sheldon Whitehouse

"At this point it is virtually certain we will blow through [the 1.5C] target."

'"On our current path... we will reach that 1.5-degree limit sometime in the 2030s."

"Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible [to limit global warming to 1.5C]"

"We are still nowhere near the scale and pace of emission reductions required to put us on track toward a 1.5C world."

We won't have "extreme cases like of 4 degrees [Celsius] warming," but will "miss the 2-degree goal."

"[C]utting our emissions in half in 10 years only gives us a 50% chance of staying below 1.5 degrees."

Keeping global warming to 1.5C is "entirely doable" and "simply a matter of political willpower."

Will Global Warming Be Limited to 1.5°C or "Well Below" 2°C?

Charles III

Donald Trump

Elon Musk

Joe Biden

Nancy Pelosi

Xi Jinping

Rishi Sunak

Kamala Harris

Justin Trudeau

Narendra Modi

Pope Francis

Janet Yellen

Emmanuel Macron

Olaf Scholz

Angela Merkel

Yuval Noah Harari

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Barack Obama

Kofi Annan

James Inhofe

David Attenborough

Giorgia Meloni

Fumio Kishida

Patrick Michaels

Jane Goodall

Bjorn Lomborg

Freeman Dyson

"[C]limate change is just a very, very expensive form of tax."

"I believe in climate change caused by human beings. What I'm skeptical about is the glib notion that it means the end of the world as we know it."

"The clock is no longer just ticking, it is banging."

"There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change."

"The time for seeking global solutions [to climate change] is running out."

"The climate crisis is the existential threat. That's not hyperbole; it's a fact."

"[W]e are killing our planet."

Climate change is "above all, an existential crisis."

"Climate change is one of the greatest challenges mankind faces."

"If we don't take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon."

"Humanity is on thin ice — and that ice is melting fast."

"We haven't yet exceeded the bounds of viable human civilisation, but we're getting close."

Is Climate Change an Existential Threat?

Catherine Rampell

Samantha Gross

The International Energy Agency

Myles McCormick

Fatih Birol

UN Environment Programme

Katrine Petersen

Angela Picciariello

Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber

Steve Pye

Kelly Trout

Aurelien Saussay

Rachel Cleetus

Natalie Jones

Thomas Covert

Will There Be an End to Fossil Fuels, and If So When?

Adam Scaife

Paulo Ceppi

Berkeley Earth

ECCC

Russell Vose

Gavin A. Schmidt

NOAA

Zeke Hausfather

Samantha Burgess

Ben Noll

James Hansen

Stephen Leahy

The Met Office

"There is a 7% chance that 2025 will rank as the warmest year on record."

"It's unlikely 2025 will be as hot as 2024."

"Years such as 2025 which aren't dominated by the warming influence of El Niño, should be cooler."

"2025 will be moderately cooler than 2024."

"It is likely that 2025 will not be as hot as recent years."

"Don't count 2025 out in the race for hottest year."

"The global mean temperature in 2025 is expected to surpass the earlier record set during the exceptionally strong 2014-2016 El Niño."

"The high January temperatures have increased the odds of 2025 being the warmest year on record."

Will 2025 Be the Hottest Year Ever Recorded?

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Ocean acidification crossed its planetary boundary approximately five years ago, according to a new study by Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Oregon State University's Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies.

Onlinelibrary

Ocean acidification crossed its planetary boundary approximately five years ago, according to a new study by Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Oregon State University's Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ocean's average pH has fallen by 0.1 units since the Industrial Revolution — approximately a 30% increase in acidity — as carbon dioxide absorption continues to alter marine chemistry.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ocean's average pH has fallen by 0.1 units since the Industrial Revolution — approximately a 30% increase in acidity — as carbon dioxide absorption continues to alter marine chemistry.

The study, published on Monday, found that by 2020, average ocean conditions worldwide were already very close to or beyond the danger zone for acidification, with 60% of waters at a depth of 200 meters having breached the safe limit, compared to 40% at the surface.

The study, published on Monday, found that by 2020, average ocean conditions worldwide were already very close to or beyond the danger zone for acidification, with 60% of waters at a depth of 200 meters having breached the safe limit, compared to 40% at the surface.

It found that selected tropical and subtropical coral reefs have lost 43% of their suitable habitats, while polar pteropods have lost up to 61% of their habitat, and coastal shellfish species have lost 13% of global coastline habitats.

The Fish Site

It found that selected tropical and subtropical coral reefs have lost 43% of their suitable habitats, while polar pteropods have lost up to 61% of their habitat, and coastal shellfish species have lost 13% of global coastline habitats.

Based on their research, scientists recommend revising the planetary boundary from a 20% to a 10% change from pre-industrial levels. However, the entire ocean surface had already passed this stricter limit by around 2000.

Based on their research, scientists recommend revising the planetary boundary from a 20% to a 10% change from pre-industrial levels. However, the entire ocean surface had already passed this stricter limit by around 2000.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, marine calcifying organisms, including corals, oysters, mussels, and pteropods, face severe impacts as decreasing calcium carbonate availability makes shell and skeleton formation more energetically costly, potentially leading to dissolution.

US EPA

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, marine calcifying organisms, including corals, oysters, mussels, and pteropods, face severe impacts as decreasing calcium carbonate availability makes shell and skeleton formation more energetically costly, potentially leading to dissolution.

Guardian #1

Metaculus #0

NBC #0

The ocean's average pH has fallen by 0.1 units since the industrial revolution, representing approximately a 30 percent increase in acidity, as carbon dioxide absorption continues to alter marine chemistry.</span

RFI #

NOAA #

The ocean's average pH has fallen by 0.1 units since the industrial revolution, representing approximately a 30 percent increase in acidity, as carbon dioxide absorption continues to alter marine chemistry.

By 2020, average ocean conditions worldwide were already very close to or beyond the danger zone for acidification, with 60 percent of waters at 200 meters depth having breached the safe limit compared to 40 percent at the surface.</span

Guardian #3601

By 2020, average ocean conditions worldwide were already very close to or beyond the danger zone for acidification, with 60 percent of waters at 200 meters depth having breached the safe limit compared to 40 percent at the surface.

Marine calcifying organisms including corals, oysters, mussels and pteropods face severe impacts as decreasing calcium carbonate availability makes shell and skeleton formation more energetically costly and can lead to dissolution.</span

US EPA #

Marine calcifying organisms including corals, oysters, mussels and pteropods face severe impacts as decreasing calcium carbonate availability makes shell and skeleton formation more energetically costly and can lead to dissolution.

Selected tropical and subtropical coral reefs have lost 43 percent of suitable habitats, while polar pteropods have lost up to 61 percent of their habitat and coastal shellfish species have lost 13 percent of global coastline habitats.</span

Guardian #6545

Selected tropical and subtropical coral reefs have lost 43 percent of suitable habitats, while polar pteropods have lost up to 61 percent of their habitat and coastal shellfish species have lost 13 percent of global coastline habitats.

Scientists recommend revising the planetary boundary from a 20 percent to a 10 percent change from pre-industrial levels, though the entire ocean surface had already passed this stricter limit by around 2000.</span

Scientists recommend revising the planetary boundary from a 20 percent to a 10 percent change from pre-industrial levels, though the entire ocean surface had already passed this stricter limit by around 2000.

While acidification poses challenges, marine ecosystems have shown remarkable adaptability throughout history. Some species like algae and seagrasses may actually benefit from higher CO2 conditions. Technological solutions including ocean alkalinity enhancement offer promising pathways forward.

While acidification poses challenges, marine ecosystems have shown remarkable adaptability throughout history. Some species like algae and seagrasses may actually benefit from higher CO2 conditions. Technological solutions including ocean alkalinity enhancement offer promising pathways forward.

Ocean Acidification

Ocean Acidification Crosses Critical Planetary Boundary

Ocean acidification is an existential crisis that demands immediate action. The chemistry changes threaten the foundation of marine food webs, from microscopic plankton to coral reefs that support entire ecosystems. Without rapid emissions reductions, marine biodiversity faces unprecedented collapse.

Ocean acidification is an existential crisis that demands immediate action. The chemistry changes threaten the foundation of marine food webs, from microscopic plankton to coral reefs that support entire ecosystems. Without rapid emissions reductions, marine biodiversity faces unprecedented collapse.

Planet on the brink with ocean acidification set to cross critical limit

Ocean acidification crosses planetary boundary

Oceanographic

Ocean acidification is a deeper crisis than we first thought

While acidification poses challenges, marine ecosystems have shown remarkable adaptability throughout history. Some species, like algae and seagrasses, may actually benefit from higher CO2 conditions. Technological solutions, including ocean alkalinity enhancement, offer promising pathways forward.

While acidification poses challenges, marine ecosystems have shown remarkable adaptability throughout history. Some species, like algae and seagrasses, may actually benefit from higher CO2 conditions. Technological solutions, including ocean alkalinity enhancement, offer promising pathways forward.

Science Learning Hub

Marine organisms and adaptations

There's a 37.1% chance that space-based technology will enable effective enforcement of the UN High Seas Treaty to reduce marine pollution and protect marine ecosystems before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 37.1% chance that space-based technology will enable effective enforcement of the UN High Seas Treaty to reduce marine pollution and protect marine ecosystems before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Joel Reyero/Contributor/picture alliance via Getty Images