Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity launched a campaign today calling on President Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a national plan to protect corals, salmon, otters and other sea life from ocean acidification. Each day the oceans absorb 22 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution from cars and industry. Impacts on fisheries and ecosystems could be devastating.
 |
“Our oceans are facing a profound extinction crisis, unlike any other in human history,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at the Center. “Without help, the rich sea life we all value will be a shadow of its former self, and we’ll all be impoverished for it.”
As part of its new Endangered Oceans campaign, the Center is calling on the White House to direct the EPA to use the Clean Water Act to produce a detailed national action plan combating the acidification threatening ocean life and coastal communities.
The world’s oceans have already become about 30 percent more acidic since the Industrial Revolution as a result of a chemical change in seawater that happens when ocean waters absorb CO2 pollution that’s been emitted into the air. The rate of change in ocean chemistry has no precedent in geologic time. The last time seawater was so acidic, about 55 million years ago, there were massive species extinctions.
Today, ocean acidification is making it hard for animals such as corals and oysters to grow and survive. It’s also eroding the shells of tiny plankton that form the basis of the marine food web, which may result in large-scale problems up the food chain for sea stars, salmon, sea otters, whales and ultimately humans, many of whom rely on seafood to survive.
A conservative estimate of the damage our oceans will face from emissions-related problems—including impacts on fisheries, sea-level rise and tourism, as well as storm costs—amounts to $428 billion a year by 2050 and nearly $2 trillion per year by century’s end.
“The science is clear that our oceans face the prospect of collapse,” Sakashita said. “This is a human-caused crisis that can also be solved by people, too, if we act swiftly and powerfully. But national leaders must stand up and address the pollution that’s killing our oceans.”
In 2009 the Center for Biological Diversity sued the EPA for failing to address the impacts of ocean acidification in Washington state. As a result of a settlement, EPA acknowledged that ocean acidification is a water pollution problem that can and should be addressed by the Clean Water Act.
“This isn’t a problem that’s going to be solved by slow, incremental steps,” Sakashita said. “It’s time for the EPA to make a move: Develop a bold national action plan that ensures a future for our sea life.”
Learn more about our Endangered Oceans campaign, read a FAQ about ocean acidification and see profiles of affected wildlife and U.S. regions.
For more information, click here.
The web of life in the oceans supports the web of life on land, both of which humanity rely on for our survival. As the present political economic model is negligent of protecting and sustaining humanity, should not the destruction of the web of life in the ocean be seen as a crime against life on our planet.
Then comes the next stage, who should be the among the first individual charges with large scale, long term damage of the environment, the proposed 5th crime against peace to be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.
What scientific evidence were the CEOs and Board of Directors of the American automobile corporations using when they decide to build fleets of Hummers and less fuel efficient SUVs that burned more of the world oil supply and pumped out more climate destabilizing emissions. Were the coal electrical generating corporations using the same fraudulent science. The fraudulent financial accounting at the heart of the sub prime scam and robo mortgage signings continues to wreck the lives of millions. How many lives will climate destabilization and ocean acidification, coral bleaching and dead zones to name a few, harm and cause to be lost. Though this pushes the definition proposed by This is Ecocide. Ocean acidification will cause harm to the oceans web of life and as a result humanity? We need to consider the prosecution of ecocide if we intend to live sustainably. http://thisisecocide.com/ Join the debate we looks forward to your critical analysis and support