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Report: More attention needed on oceanic carbon dioxide

JUL 06, 2015
Physics Today

BBC : An international collaboration of marine scientists has published a paper in Science detailing the variety of threats the oceans face from rising carbon dioxide levels. The scientists say the combination of the effects is causing a change in ocean chemistry at a level unseen since the Permian–Triassic extinction event 250 million years ago. Since 1750, the oceans have absorbed 30% of the CO2 that humans have released into the atmosphere, and as a result, seawater is becoming more acidic. Since 1970, the oceans have also absorbed 90% of the additional heat generated by industrialization, which is making it harder for the oceans to store oxygen. That combination poses a threat to oceanic life that has not been addressed by climate change proposals.

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