Lead institution:
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – United States of America (USA)
Ocean acidification (OA) is the ongoing observed increase in seawater acidity (pH) primarily due to the ocean’s uptake of anthropogenic atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).
The rate of the ocean’s changing chemistry is measured by a suite of stations worldwide, and conditions expected by 2100 will have several negative effects on marine life. Many challenges to understanding OA and its impacts remain. A robust understanding of OA and its impacts requires interdisciplinary monitoring and research efforts, including carbonate chemistry, physical oceanography, biogeochemistry, ecology, biology, natural resource economics, and other social and hard sciences. It also requires a global workforce that can analyze, assessing, and applying this data. This Decade Programme expands CO2 observing systems by developing the next generation of sensors, training new experts, ensuring materials are available for accurate measurements, and filling in under-observed regions. It also builds capacity for publicly-available data that is fed into products useful for stakeholders.
Start Date: 01/01/2022
End Date: 31/12/2029
Lead Contact: Meredith Kurz (meredith.kurz@noaa.gov)