The maps above show computer model simulations of present-day ocean pH (left) and two possible futures: one in which we quickly and significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions (middle), and one in which we do not (right). How severely marine life will be affected depends on whether and how much we reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels. More acidic water can corrode minerals that many marine creatures rely on to build their protective shells and skeletons. This absorption slows down global warming, but it also lowers the ocean’s pH, making it more acidic. Around half of all carbon dioxide produced by humans since the Industrial Revolution has dissolved into the world’s oceans.
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