Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
negatively, but with unknown magnitude. These changes will have
repercussions on biogeochemical cycles and socio-economic
activities, even though it is currently impossible to determine the
magnitude of these consequences. These uncertainties pose a problem,
since decision makers require reliable predictions on the future of the
ocean which can be used in international negotiations, for example,
those aiming to reduce CO
2
emissions as part of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change. Although the economic
and social impacts [GON 10] of climate change are already
perceptible, these negotiations are making little progress. More
concrete information on the consequences of the acidification of
oceans could reinforce the view that progress at the negotiating table
is absolutely crucial. Uncertainties, unknowns and certain
contradictory results have not enabled ocean acidification to become a
prominent issue in international discussions. This is probably not the
only reason, it is also possible that certain decision makers feel that
there are already very difficult climate change issues to address without
having to consider another problem, even if climate change and ocean
acidification share the same origin. Limiting CO
2
emissions would
address both processes.
There is a much more optimistic way of interpreting the state of
knowledge on ocean acidification. Even though we have known for
several decades that the uptake of CO
2
by the ocean leads to changes
in seawater chemistry, it is only recently that biological, ecological
and biogeochemical consequences have been identified. If we consider
that, until very recently, few researchers focused on this issue, the
progress made in less than 20 years has been remarkable. The
comparison with the development of research on the impact of global
change on terrestrial ecosystems is not disadvantageous. It is clear
that major progress will be made in the next few years due to the
launch of national and international research projects, with
the considerable increase in the number of researchers involved,
and the assessment performed as part of the Fifth Assessment Report
of the IPCC. Whether upcoming results will lead to a more positive
or more dramatic assessment of the severity of the impact of
