Oceans Are In Trouble

Pessimists believe that the oceans are in a far more dire state than originally thought. A group of scientists gathered in April 2011 at the University of Oxford to look at the cumulative effect of the current detriments to the ocean-including ocean acidification, reduction of the polar ice caps, pollution, and overfishing. With the growing level of carbon dioxide emissions as a result of global warming, the ocean now has a reduced oxygen content so marine life and coral reefs are in danger.

The April meeting, which gathered scientists from a range of specialties to discuss the problems of the marine environment, was organized by the International Program on the State of the Ocean and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The resulting report claimed, "this examination of synergistic threats leads to the conclusion that we have underestimated the overall risks that the whole of marine degradation is greater than the sum of its parts, and that degradation is now happening at a faster rate than predicted." According to their findings, the past five mass extinctions on Earth followed the same pattern of global warming, ocean acidification, or reduced oxygen content in the seas that currently exists. The World Resources Institute predicts that all coral reefs could be extinct as soon as 2050, with further species extinctions due to the destruction of the reefs, if nothing is done to change the current trend.

Coral reefs are suffering from a bleaching effect due to the rising sea temperature and also the effects of acidification. Coral reefs are a habitat for a variety of species, so any interference with its health trickles down to a vast number of marine species. Without immediate action, the report warned that " we now face losing marine species and entire marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, within a single generation." It is believed that the oceans are likely to experience a mass extinction of marine species far greater than has ever been experienced in human history, and the longer it takes to enact a change, the less that can be done to reverse the damage and the more effort it will take to make any impact.

The consumer society that sustains our world economy formerly served society well, but with the increase in population, it is no longer a sustainable option. Unfortunately, there is no governing authority over the open ocean. Outside of the 200-mile radius off the shore of a nation state, there is no group responsible for the ocean's sanitation. Scientists are trying to convince the U.N. and national governments to form some kind of agreement that would ensure ocean sustainability. A coordinated effort for the entire ocean, which would include a general agreement for national waters as well as the open ocean, is required to make an impact. In this way, an overarching standard set of international policies for sustainable fisheries, pollution levels, and carbon dioxide emissions could be put in place.