Report on Ocean Acidification and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction

Recent scientific research reveals that ocean health is deteriorating due to human-induced carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, which have pushed ocean acidification beyond safe limits in many marine environments. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need to enhance ocean protection efforts and drastically reduce CO₂ emissions, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

Scientific Findings on Ocean Acidification

1. Extent of Acidification: Four of seven ocean basins have surpassed the planetary boundary for ocean acidification, with polar waters and upwelling zones most affected.
2. Depth Penetration: Acidification affects 60% of the ocean down to 200 meters, compared to 40% at the surface, threatening marine biodiversity in these critical zones.
3. Revised Safe Limits: New research suggests lowering the safe aragonite saturation limit from 20% to 10% to maintain ecosystem functionality, indicating that safe boundaries were crossed as early as the year 2000.
4. Impact on Marine Species: Significant habitat loss has been observed:
   • 43% loss in tropical and subtropical coral reef habitats
   • 61% loss in polar pteropods’ habitats
   • 13% loss in coastal bivalve habitats

Implications for Marine Ecosystems and SDGs

• Threat to Biodiversity: Ocean acidification endangers calcifying species essential to marine food webs, impacting SDG 14 targets on conserving marine biodiversity.
• Compound Stressors: Acidification combined with climate change-induced heatwaves, oxygen depletion, pollution, and overfishing exacerbates marine ecosystem vulnerability.
• Long-term Effects: Changes in ocean chemistry are irreversible on centennial to millennial timescales, emphasizing the need for immediate action under SDG 13.

Urgency for Enhanced Ocean Protection

Marine protection efforts currently lag behind terrestrial conservation but are gaining momentum through international initiatives, including:

• The 2025 UN Ocean Conference, promoting SDG 14.
• Establishment of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and ocean protection commitments.
• Progress towards ratification of the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (High Seas Treaty), aiming to protect 30% of oceans by 2030.

These efforts contribute directly to SDG 14.5, which targets the conservation of at least 10% of coastal and marine areas, and aim to expand this protection significantly.

Recommendations for Policy and Conservation

1. Accelerate Treaty Ratification: Encourage nations to ratify the High Seas Treaty to enhance global ocean governance and protection.
2. Implement Adaptive Conservation: Identify and protect climate refugia and areas resilient to acidification and warming, optimizing conservation resources.
3. Halt Overexploitation: Prohibit industrial fishing, trawling, and deep-sea mining in vulnerable high seas regions to preserve marine ecosystems.

Addressing the Root Cause: Carbon Emissions

The primary driver of ocean acidification is anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. Experts emphasize that achieving SDG 13 targets requires:

• Rapid and substantial reductions in fossil fuel emissions.
• Implementation of net-zero and net-negative carbon strategies.
• Development and cautious deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, including ocean alkalinity enhancement and electrochemical methods, while carefully assessing ecological impacts.

Despite the potential of geoengineering, experts caution against large-scale interventions with uncertain consequences, advocating instead for emission cuts and strengthened ocean protections as sustainable solutions.

Conclusion

The crossing of safe ocean acidification thresholds serves as an early warning signal necessitating immediate global action. Protecting ocean health is critical to achieving multiple SDGs, particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Coordinated international efforts to reduce emissions, expand marine protections, and develop adaptive conservation strategies are essential to safeguard marine biodiversity and ecosystem services for current and future generations.

Source: Adapted with permission from Mongabay.com

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article discusses the urgent need to slash CO₂ emissions to mitigate ocean acidification and climate change impacts.
   • References to the Paris Agreement target and the need for net zero emissions highlight climate action.
2. SDG 14: Life Below Water
   • The core focus on ocean acidification, marine biodiversity loss, coral reef degradation, and marine ecosystem protection directly relates to SDG 14.
   • Discussion on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the High Seas Treaty aligns with conserving and sustainably using the oceans.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Indirectly connected through the emphasis on ecosystem resilience and biodiversity protection, which are linked to terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

2. Specific Targets Under Identified SDGs

1. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
2. SDG 14: Life Below Water
   • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
   • Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, and take action for their restoration to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
   • Target 14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels.
   • Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information.
   • Target 14.a: Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Indicators Related to SDG 14
   • Indicator 14.3.1: Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations.
   • The article discusses ocean acidification levels, aragonite saturation percentages, and depth-related acidification data, which relate directly to this indicator.
   • Indicator 14.5.1: Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas.
   • References to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the High Seas Treaty aiming to protect 30% of oceans by 2030 relate to this indicator.
   • Indicators related to marine biodiversity and habitat loss:
     • Data on habitat loss percentages for coral reefs (43%), polar pteropods (61%), and coastal bivalves (13%) imply monitoring of species and habitat health.
2. Indicators Related to SDG 13
   • Indicator 13.2.2: Total greenhouse gas emissions per year.
   • The article’s emphasis on CO₂ emissions and the need to reduce them connects to tracking emissions data.
   • Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into policies and planning.
   • The discussion about international agreements and national ratifications (e.g., High Seas Treaty) relates to this indicator.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: eco-business.com