Arctic Ocean Acidification Moving At Twice The Speed Of Seas In Other Regions
Inuit must be involved in fighting acidification of the Arctic Ocean through monitoring efforts and sharing their knowledge: that was the message from Lisa Koperqualuk, the vice-president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council—Canada, today during an Arctic Council panel on ocean acidification at the United Nations climate talks in Madrid.
Ocean acidification is taking place in the Arctic Ocean at a rate that’s about two times higher than elsewhere in the world, due to the combination of cold water, sea ice melt and input of freshwater from melting glaciers, those attending the panel heard. This increased acidity is a problem because it threatens the health of sea life and Arctic residents who depend on those resources. “Protecting the marine environment and animals is of utmost importance to us,” Koperqualuk said during the side event, which was live-streamed on YouTube.
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Ko Barrett, the vice-chair of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, compared the ocean to a sponge. And this acidification happens faster in the Arctic Ocean because cold water absorbs more carbon dioxide than warm water. The increasing amount of fresh water from rivers and melting ice also reduces the capacity of the ocean in the region to neutralize acidification.
These acidic waters mean some sea life, mainly creatures with shells and fish, require more energy to maintain their health. The possible impacts of greater ocean acidity include reduced growth in small creatures with shells, and some fish being less able to avoid predators, said another panellist, Helen Findlay, a biological oceanographer at Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the United Kingdom.
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https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/arctic-council-highlights-arctic-ocean-acidification-at-un-climate-talks/
