Revisiting ocean acidification for UNEP
By taking up CO2, the oceans slow down the pace of climate change. But this invaluable service of the oceans comes at a cost. Are Olsen, Nadine Goris, Siv Kari Lauvset and Ingunn Skjelvan are revisiting the problem of ocean acidification in a new Foresight Brief published by the UN Environment.

Main content
In a short and handy format, in an all-audience language, the new听听summarizes new findings and results on the situation of ocean acidification. Are Olsen, , Siv Kari Lauvset and write:
鈥淲e are able to document the ocean CO2听uptake and acidification because the global science community has made systematic measurements in the oceans over the past decades. The data clearly show that CO2听levels are increasing and pH is decreasing. In particular, time series stations, where observations are made several times each year, show that in the surface ocean, CO2听is increasing at approximately the same rate as in the atmosphere and pH follows suit.鈥
Read the听, and find a d听
鈥淭he total amount of anthropogenic CO2听in the ocean can be determined from the measurements. It is now approximately 620 gigatons of CO2, which corresponds to 27% of the total emissions from 1800 to 2016鈥
The听Foresight brief听summarises important findings and results on observations of ocean carbon uptake and acidification, future projections, ecosystem impacts and possible consequences for marine food resources, and is based on research at the and from the research community at large.
鈥 It is both an overview and an introduction to the theme of ocean acidification at large. We are not only presenting our own activities, but are also giving an overview of various other sides of the ocean acidification problem, like effects and impact that are studied at other research communities, Ingunn Skjelvan, researcher at 听and the , says.听
鈥 We are happy to contribute to such an overview that is also spread in the UN system, Are Olsen, professor at the Geophysical Institute and , adds.
.