Oceans may be key in global climate struggle

• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Emerald 2019
• Subjects: Arctic; Climate change; Global warming; Ocean acidification; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/oxan-db247008; https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/OXAN-DB247008/full/xml; https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/OXAN-DB247008/full/html

Subject Climate change and the oceans. Significance The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on September 25 released a new special report highlighting the risks to marine and human life from global warming symptoms such as sea-level rise, ocean acidification and marine heatwaves. The report’s release coincided with news that this year’s Arctic sea-ice minimum was the joint-second lowest on record. Last month’s UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit saw 70 countries indicate their intention to submit revised Paris Agreement pledges next year. However, the largest emitters made only vague announcements. Impacts Reduced sea ice in the Arctic will enable greater economic activities such as fishing, shipping and tourism. Considerable technical hurdles remain to developing robust ‘blue carbon’ accounting which may hinder advancement. Economic feasibility, social acceptance and environmental trade-offs, more than technology, will present barriers to coastal protection.