Protect our oceans from acidification

Ocean acidification is the evil twin of climate change. Like its twin, it is also caused by increased CO2 emissions in the atmosphere.

When CO2 from the atmosphere combines with sea water it creates carbonic acid which makes the water more acidic.

Rising acidity reduces the availability of carbonate, a mineral used by thousands of marine species to form shells and skeletons. Coral, shellfish and tiny organisms that form the base of the ocean food web all use carbonate, and the less there is, the harder it is for them to build their homes, grow and reproduce.

The only way to stop ocean acidification is to reduce the amount of CO2 we release into the atmosphere.

Read more about Ocean Acidification.

The time to take action is now. Scientists expect that unless carbon dioxide emissions are lowered, there will be dire consequences for fisheries, tourism and the millions of people worldwide who depend on the ocean for jobs and food.

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Dear federal leaders,

I am writing to urge you to protect our oceans from the devastating effects of ocean acidification by creating meaningful CO2 emissions reduction policies committing to a minimum 25 percent reduction in emissions from 1990 levels by 2020.

Climate change is not the only problem created by burning fossil fuels. Increased CO2 emissions in the atmosphere are also causing ocean acidification which will have profound effects on ocean ecosystems.

When CO2 from the atmosphere combines with sea water it creates carbonic acid, increasing the acidity of the ocean. This &ldquo;ocean acidification&rdquo; reduces the availability of carbonate, a naturally occurring mineral used by tens of thousands of marine species to form their shells and skeletons &ndash; features essential to life.

Unless decreased, ocean acidification is expected to have dire consequences on fisheries worldwide as already struggling stocks continue to decline. When the smallest shelled organisms are wiped out it ripples through the food chain. If the fish we consume have nothing to eat, we won&rsquo;t be eating fish. Fishing is a billion dollar industry in Canada and directly employs approximately 85,000 Canadians. Thousands more rely on the ocean for food and recreation.

The only way to stop ocean acidification is to decrease the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. We need to implement strong emissions reduction policies and practices to avoid critical &ldquo;tipping points&rdquo; for marine ecosystems. Canada lags behind as other countries around the world move ahead with ambitious emissions reduction targets and clean energy development. The current government continually embarrasses Canadians on the world stage with its lack of concern and action on climate change. Ocean acidification is one more reason why we need to act now. Shifting to a low-carbon economy not only benefits the environment that defines our country, it means new jobs and business opportunities for Canadians.

As a proud Canadian, I urge you to pass ambitious emissions reduction legislation in order to save our oceans from the devastating effects of ocean acidification. We need to act now to save our oceans for the future. Will you show leadership and step up to the plate?

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