Ocean chemistry

This report sets out the importance of carbon in the open ocean and, through examples, illustrates the significance and values of some of its major carbon pools and sinks. It has been produced to promote better understanding of how atmospheric carbon is captured, stored and mobilized in the ocean, and how this has a significant bearing on sustainability, the welfare of people, and the future scale and intensity of climate change and ocean acidification.

This report sets out the importance of carbon in the open ocean and, through examples, illustrates the significance and values of some of its major carbon pools and sinks. It has been produced to promote better understanding of how atmospheric carbon is captured, stored and mobilized in the ocean, and how this has a significant bearing on sustainability, the welfare of people, and the future scale and intensity of climate change and ocean acidification.

As the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere rises, an increasing amount of the gas is absorbed by the ocean, making it more acidic. Both the academic challenge as well as the practical urgency to find solutions to ocean acidification within the broader field of environmental law and governance have spurred some initial analysis on this topic.