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‘Ticking time bomb’: Ocean acidity crosses vital threshold, study finds
- Researchers affiliated with NOAA, Oregon State University, and Plymouth Marine Laboratory reported in a 2025 publication that by 2020, global ocean acidity had surpassed a critical threshold.
- The study builds on previous warnings that six planetary boundaries had already been crossed and ocean acidification signals growing risk for marine habitats.
- The research revealed up to 60% of the subsurface ocean is affected, with polar regions experiencing the largest surface changes, threatening coral reefs and shellfish industries.
- The study indicates that these environmental factors lead to a substantial loss of suitable habitats, with coral reefs experiencing a 43% decrease and polar pteropods facing reductions of up to 61%.
- The outcomes highlighted at the ongoing UN Ocean Conference emphasize urgent global commitments to stem ocean acidification and protect marine ecosystems and economies.
34 Articles
34 Articles
Oceans ‘absorbed energy equivalent of 1.7 billion atomic bombs’ since 2015 Paris Agreement
Oceans have absorbed enough heat since the 2015 Paris Agreement was signed to match the energy of 1.7 billion atomic bomb explosions, scientists warned as the UN Ocean Conference got underway in Nice.
New study claims the world’s oceans are a ‘ticking time bomb’
Our oceans are struggling. From bleaching in the coral reefs to increasing temperatures and rising sea levels, they've seen better days. To make matters worse, researchers now say our oceans may actually be a “ticking time bomb” due to ocean acidification. Until recently, researchers have claimed that the acidity of the ocean had not crossed the “planetary boundary.” However, a new study published by researchers at the UK’s Plymouth Marine Labor…
'It's a ticking time bomb': Acid levels in Earth's oceans have already breached 'danger zone', study suggests
Researchers have found that ocean acidification entered a "danger zone" in 2020, suggesting increased carbon dioxide levels have caused Earth to breach another planetary boundary.
Global ocean acidification has passed safe planetary boundary threshold: Study
A new assessment finds that the world’s oceans crossed the safe threshold for acidification in 2020, breaching a key planetary boundary and posing serious threats to marine life. Ocean acidification is caused when excess atmospheric carbon dioxide, resulting from human activities like burning fossil fuels, dissolves in seawater, forming carbonic acid that increases the water’s […]
‘Ticking time bomb’ of ocean acidification has already crossed planetary boundary, threatening marine ecosystems: Study
On the first day of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, the findings of a new study have revealed that ocean acidification (OA)—which damages ecosystems like coral reefs—is not only getting worse, but crossed its “planetary boundary” roughly five years ago.
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