Global Warming Ocean Acidification One General Rule of thumb is that the Earth is cold when CO2 levels are low and warm when CO2 levels are high

CO2 Levels past and Present Since the onset of the industrial revolution CO2 levels have risen 120 ppm in 200 years, From 280 ppm to 403 ppm today The fastest known natural increase in CO2 was the end Permian extinction which is approximately the same rate as today The Actual rate of rise is +2 ppm per year which is 12,000 to 16,000 times faster than natural rates and current rate is 40,000 times faster

CO2 levels Natural CO2 extraction rates would absorb 8% of these emissions per year Organic carbon burial, carbonate compensation, and weathering are natural processes in the carbon cycle These events would take hundreds of thousands of years to bring this CO2 spike back under control

Ocean Acidification According to scientists calculations Atmospheric CO2 levels should be 700-800 ppm but are only 400, where did the extra CO2 go? Ocean PH has dropped from preindustrial levels by .1 units from 8.2 t0 8.1 which is a 25% increase in acidity Continuation of today’s emissions will mean a PH of 7.8 or 7.7 by the end of the century

Ocean Acidification cont. Most organisms experience severe problems with a PH drop of .2 units The expected drop of .3 to .4 units is well beyond what fish and other marine organisms can tolerate Most marine organisms will have health, reproduction and mobility consequences The cumulative effects of acidification, pollution, eutrophication, over fishing and physical damage will wipe out corals by 2050