| Summary: | There is a clear consensus from the many scientific statements that are now being made about ocean acidification, that rapid, unprecedented changes are occurring. This introductory guide is written especially for policy advisers and decision makers worldwide and is a wake-up call about the double impact onour seas of climate change and ocean acidification caused by increasingatmospheric carbon dioxide levels. It sets out the basic facts about thealarming and progressive acidification of the ocean that is threateningour marine ecosystems. The Earths geological record shows that previousepisodes of ocean acidification were linked to mass extinctions of some species, and it is reasonable to assume that this episode could have thesame consequences. There can be little doubt that the ocean is undergoingdramatic changes that will impact many human lives now and in thecoming generations, unless we act quickly and decisively.
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